Reuters
Libya
On Friday, the Libyan municipality of Ghadames launched the largest couscous meal in the world, in the presence of citizens from various Libyan cities.
Ali Masoud Al-Fateeni, the head of the Awes tours team and the owner of the idea of preparing the dish, said on Thursday to “Africa News Gate”, that the city of Ghadames will host the opening of the largest couscous dish in the world, which has a diameter of 4.5 meters, and was prepared by 35 chefs, 15 of them. A cook and 20 assistant cooks.
He indicated that the cost of preparing the dish is estimated at 95 thousand Libyan dinars and was funded by the Food House Company, stressing that it will be distributed free of charge to the attendees as it suffices approximately 5,000 people.
He pointed out that 3 thousand kilograms of couscous, 350 kilograms of chickpeas, 12 quintals of onions, 1750 pieces of meat and 25 kilograms of spices were used in preparing the dish, explaining that the dish was designed by the engineer Jalal Bahloul Al-Rumaili and was wrapped and decorated with inscriptions suggesting the Libyan identity.
Regarding the reasons for choosing the city of Ghadames specifically to host the event, Al-Fateeni stressed that Ghadames is a city accredited by the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) and thus it is the closest place that can contribute to the delivery of the message that the couscous meal is an integral part of the Libyan heritage.
The official stated that Libya signed on February 4, 2021 the Convention for the Preservation of Intangible Heritage, which 180 countries signed on December 16, 2003, explaining that after Libya’s accession to the convention, it has the right to demand the inclusion of Libyan “couscous” eaters on the World Heritage List.
Al-Fateeni indicated that citizens from various Libyan cities will participate in the opening of the dish while adhering to the precautionary measures to confront the Corona virus, as the Youth Zone Against Corona undertakes the precautionary equipment of masks and sterilizers, gradually organizing entry and preventing crowds, and he indicated that it has not yet been confirmed that public figures attend a party. The opening is due to the precautionary measures regarding Corona.
It is worth noting that, last January, UNESCO included the “couscous” dish as part of the intangible world heritage, after four Maghreb countries, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania and Morocco submitted a joint file in this regard with the exclusion of Libya, which provoked local reactions denouncing and denouncing that the couscous meal is one of the features of Libyan heritage.
Source: “Africa News Portal”
