Al Zawiya University
The University of Zawia (Arabic: جامعة الزاوية, romanized: Jamaa't Azzawia, previously known as Seventh of April University) is a university located in the city of Zawiya, Libya.[1] It was established as an independent university in 1988.[2] The campus is six kilometres south of the city centre,[3] and serves the Zawiya, Jafara and Nuqat al Khams districts.[3]
History
In 1983, University of Tripoli established a branch of their College of Education in Zawia.[3] In 1988, the institution was established as an independent university, called the Seventh of April University, with separate administration and funding.[3][4] The reference to 7 April was officially described by the university as referring to "the great student event on the seventh of April 1976".[2][3] On 7 April 1976, student protests took place in Tripoli and Benghazi protesting against human rights violations, calling for a civilian government and free and fair elections. Counterdemonstrations took place on the same day and "many students were detained for months". The date of 7 April was used from the first anniversary on 7 April 1977 and annually to the late 1980s as a date for public executions in Libya in reference to the "great student event". The Organizing Committee for the April Demonstration referred to the usage of the 7 April anniversary as a "trademark" of Muammar Gaddafi's government.[5]
The university was renamed in 2011,[6] the year of the Libyan Revolution that overthrew Gaddafi, as the University of Zawia.[7]
References
- "Seventh of April University" Directory of African Higher Education Institutions
- "Seventh of April University" Archived 2009-08-16 at the Wayback Machine
- "An Overview of The University" Archived 2008-07-29 at the Wayback Machine Seventh of April University
- Libya's General People's Committee's Decision No. 35 of 1988
- "Libya: The significance of 7 April; whether it is a day on which dissidents are hanged and if this practice has been in existence since 1970". Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. 2003-01-07. LBY40606.E. Archived from the original on 2019-11-16. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
- "Al Zawiya University – Jamaa't Azzawia". International Association of Universities. 2017-10-18. IAU-009758. Archived from the original on 2019-11-16. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
- "University of Zawia". University of Zawia. 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-11-16. Retrieved 2019-11-16.