Reviving The National Library: A great opportunity for Somali youth

After the overthrow of the former military regime in Somalia in 1991, all government institutions were destroyed. The country was engulfed by what a Somali architect described as ‘a man made earthquake.’ All public buildings were ruined by the prolonged civil war and the educational institutions such as The National Library were among the hardest hit.

The National Library (TNL), a three-story building, was established in 1986 and is located at Hamar Weyne district at the center of Mogadishu, opposite of the National Museum and the National Theatre. The building has sustained major damages during the war, and all of its resources were looted; in the later years the building became a shelter for internally displaced people (IDPs) and squatters. However, currently, the building has been cleared and is ready for rehabilitation.