Lamma Café: Pioneering Recycling and Sustainability in Libya
Lamma, a café in Tripoli, promotes sustainability by using recycled materials in its construction. It serves as a cultural hub, raising awareness of eco-friendly practices in a nation facing the aftermath of war. Through art, workshops, and community engagement, Lamma aims to inspire a new mindset towards recycling and waste reduction in Libya.
In the heart of Tripoli, a remarkable café named Lamma, which translates to “gathering” or “hangout” in Arabic, serves as a cultural hub for locals and visitors alike. This café operates with a strong commitment to promoting sustainability, using entirely recycled materials in its construction to advocate for eco-friendly living in Libya, a nation struggling with the legacy of conflict.
Lamma features an art gallery that showcases the works of Libyan artists and hosts various events and workshops. The owner, Louay Omran Burwais, emphasizes the café’s mission of enhancing awareness of an eco-friendly lifestyle within Libya, where such initiatives are scarce.
Burwais explains, “We use materials that were abandoned in the streets, such as rubber from tires, wood from trees, and construction waste” to construct the café. His aim is to demonstrate that items deemed useless can still hold significant value.
Libya has been embroiled in conflict following the NATO-backed uprising that led to the downfall of Muammar Qaddafi, creating a power struggle between a UN-recognized government and a rival authority. Despite this tumultuous history, Lamma presents a refreshing space filled with colorful, innovative design elements including plant-covered walls and metal scrap installations.
Roula Ajjawi, the art director of Lamma, notes, “There are no places like this in Libya. We base everything on one aspect that we consider very important: recycling.” Families gather over the weekend for art workshops and to borrow books from the café’s small library.
Burwais and his team aspire to inspire a movement towards recycling and sustainable practices in Libya, where such facilities are currently absent. By transforming everyday objects into art, they hope to shift local perceptions, encouraging individuals to see potential in what might typically be discarded.
Ajjawi highlights that plastic, metal, and glass waste from over a decade of civil war seldom gets recycled, often ending up as litter in nature. However, at Lamma, items intended for landfills are creatively repurposed, indicating a growing awareness among locals. Regular patron Riyad Youssef shares his enthusiasm: “I love this place. The food is great, the service is excellent, and I appreciate the commitment to reducing waste. Every idea here is amazing.”
Lamma in Tripoli exemplifies the potential of recycling and art in fostering an eco-friendly culture in Libya. Through innovative use of recycled materials and community engagement, it raises awareness about sustainability amidst the challenges posed by the nation’s tumultuous history. As Lamma transforms perceived waste into art, it inspires a shift in mindset among locals, cultivating a greater appreciation for environmental stewardship.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
