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World Military Music Festival in Tripoli, Libya 2009

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The Pipes and Drums of Christchurch City participated in the World Military Music Festival held in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on 1st September, 2009.  This event was held to mark the country's national day and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Libyan People’s Arab Jamahiriya. 

 

​We stayed at the Janzour Tourist Village on the Mediterranean coast, just outside Tripoli.  It was a great coming together of people from different cultures and backgrounds.  The opportunity to mix freely on equal terms and in a spirit of friendship was one of the great highlights of the trip.  Life-long friendships were made. 

Our Libyan hosts were hospitable and respectful.  As it was Ramadan, we were given a dispensation to eat and drink (fruit juice) during the day when ordinary Libyans were fasting.  They also took us sightseeing.  We toured the mansion in the Bab al-Azizia compound that was Colonel Gaddafi's home until 1986 when it was partially damaged by American bombs in a failed assassination attempt.  A real highlight was a visit to the ancient Roman city of Sabratha, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

 

The band participated in three parades on Green Square, which is the focal point of Tripoli.  The daytime heat was so oppressive that all three parades and most of the rehearsals were held during the early hours of the morning when it was cooler, usually beginning about 1:00 am.  

Part 1

 

1st September – 40th Anniversary Parade
This massive parade by troops from member states of the African Union and the Libyan army included a flypast and was accompanied by the music of the massed bands of the World Military Music Festival.  It took place before a seated audience that included the then Libyan Leader, Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi, senior military figures and VIP guests.   
2nd September – The World Military Music Festival
The festival took place the following night before the same audience.  Each national group gave an item, and then everyone came together for a large colourful finale.

 

3rd September – Impromptu Performance

The bands from Algeria, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan and the United Kingdom joined with the Kenyan dance troupe to give an additional unofficial performance for the general public.  The enormous crowd of mainly younger people was very appreciative and incredibly enthusiastic.

​

All the Libyan people we met were very welcoming.  Many had friends or relatives living abroad, and they all wanted to know more about the outside world.  Their curiosity about us was especially evident in their reaction to the sight of a pipe band in full military uniform.  One night we were left in a street near Green Square for about six hours.  At any given moment during that period, we were surrounded by hundreds of people.  Everyone seemed to have a camera and had to have their picture taken while posing with one or more pipers or drummers. People clambered onto walls and fences so they could get a better view of us, and a tree even toppled over when too many people climbed up into the branches.

 

Nobody in the band knew much about Libya or its people when the invitation to participate in this Festival was accepted, and so no one really knew what to expect.  As things turned out, we were impressed by the all Libyans we met and made many friends from among the other performers.  We were also grateful to the Libyan government for their hospitality and the opportunity to participate in this commemoration of their national day.

Part 2
Part 2
Part 2
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

  • Algeria

    • National Guard Band

  • Australia

    • Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipes & Drums

  • Austria

    • Military Music Band Tyrol

  • Egypt

    • Egyptian Military Band

  • Ethiopia

    • Ethiopian Army Band

  • France

    • French Foreign Legion Marching Band

  • Italy

    • Banda della Brigata Maccanizzata Sassari

    • ​​Sbandieratori Gubbio

    • Sbandieratori Sansepolcro

  • Kenya

    • Waza Afrika Troupe

  • Libya

    • Joint Band of the Libyan Armed Forces

  • Malta

    • Band of the Armed Forces of Malta

  • Mexico

    • Symphonic Band of the Mexican Navy

  • New Zealand

    • Pipes & Drums of Christchurch City

  • Pakistan

    • ​Three Arms Band of the Pakistani Army

  • Russia

    • Chief Military Band of the Ministry of Emergency Situations

    • Nalmes State Academic Dance Company

    • Russian State Ballet Company

  • Senegal

    • Principal Band of the Senegalese Armed Forces

  • Tunisia

    • Tunisian Army Band

  • Ukraine

    • Central Air Force Band

  • Britain

    • Band Pres Porth Tywyn, Wales

The VIP Guests at the 40th Anniversary Parade and the World Military Music Festival included: 

  • President Ali Abdullah Saleh of the Republic of Yemen

  • President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria

  • President Zina El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia.

  • President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela

  • Sheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar

  • Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jabber Al-Sabah Amir of the State of Kuwait

  • King Abdullah II of Jordon

  • President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir of Sudan 

  • President Amadou Toumane Toure of Mali

  • President Yayi Jammeh of Gambia

  • President Leonel Fernandez of Dominican Republic

  • President Idriss Deby of Chad

  • President Rupiah Banda of Zambia 

  • President Boris Tadic of Serbia

  • President Mamadou Tandja of Niger

  • President Denis Sassou Nguesso Of the Republic of Congo

  • President Blaise Compaore of Burkina

  • President Francois Bozize of Central African Republic

  • President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania

  • President Foure Ayadima of Togo 

  • President Yayi Boni of Benin

  • President Ahmed Abdullah Sambi Comoros Islands

  • President Mohammed Ould Abdelaziz of Mauritania

  • President Pedro Verona Pires of Cape Verde

  • President Fradique Menezes of Sao Tome and Principe

  • President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi

  • Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi

  • President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, of Philippines

  • President Mahinda Rajapakasa, of Sri Lanka

  • President Mahmoud Abbas, of the State of Palestine

  • President Zeliko Komsic, of Bosnia & Herzegovina

  • President George Abela, of Malta

  • President Filip Vujanovic, of Montenegro

  • Acting President of Guinea-Bissau, Raimundo Pereira

  • President Mohamed Abdelaziz, of the Saharan Republic

  • President of the Council of State of the Sultanate of Oman, Yahya Ben Mahfoudh Al-Mundiri, Representative of the Sultan Qaboos Ben Said

  • Sheikh Mansour Ben Zayyid Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs of the United Arab Emirates

  • Representative of the President, Viktor Lukashenko, Assistant to the President of Belarus for National Security Affairs

  • Vice President of Gabon, Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge

  • Vice President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama

  • Vice President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan

  • Vice President of Iraq Tariq Al-Hashimi

  • Prime Minister of Namibia

  • Prime Minister of Morocco, Abbas Al-Fasi

  • Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yusif Rida Jilani

  • Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Pakalitha Mosisli

  • Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea

  • Prime Minister of Somalia, Omar Abdel Rasheed Sharmarki

  • Prime Minister of Singapore

  • Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, Minister of Defense of Egypt

  • Vice President of Liberia

  • Speaker of the Duma Council of the Russian Federation

  • Speaker of the Indian Parliament

  • Foreign Minister of Spain Miguel, Angel Moratinos

  • Alain Joyandet, Secretary of State for Foreign Cooperation

  • Jiang Wexixin, Minister of Housing & Urban-Rural Construction of China

  • Former President of Ghana, Jerry Rollins

  • Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo

  • Former President of Chad, Coconi Waday

  • Former President of Mauritania, Ali Ould Mohamed Fal

  • Foreign Minister of Guinea Bissau

  • Chairperson of the AU Commission, Jean Ping

  • Assistant Foreign Minister of Ecuador 

  • Deputy Foreign Minister of Vietnam

The cast of over 1,500 performers was drawn from 18 countries:

The VIP Guests at the 40th Anniversary Parade and the World Military Music Festival included: 

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