Libya Revives Cannon Salute to Break Ramadan Fast

In this picture taken on March 23, 2023, Tripoli municipality officials prepare to fire the Iftar cannon marking the time to break the daytime fast at Martyrs Square in the Libyan capital, on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. (AFP)
In this picture taken on March 23, 2023, Tripoli municipality officials prepare to fire the Iftar cannon marking the time to break the daytime fast at Martyrs Square in the Libyan capital, on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. (AFP)
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Libya Revives Cannon Salute to Break Ramadan Fast

In this picture taken on March 23, 2023, Tripoli municipality officials prepare to fire the Iftar cannon marking the time to break the daytime fast at Martyrs Square in the Libyan capital, on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. (AFP)
In this picture taken on March 23, 2023, Tripoli municipality officials prepare to fire the Iftar cannon marking the time to break the daytime fast at Martyrs Square in the Libyan capital, on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. (AFP)

The blast of a cannon booms across Tripoli, but it doesn't signal another round of fighting in the Libyan capital -- rather, the revival of a long-lost Ramadan tradition.

Officers in berets rolled out a red carpet on the iconic Martyrs' Square on Thursday for the 600-year-old weapon, setting of a resounding blast moments before the sunset call to prayer.

The cannon, announcing the end of the first daytime fast of the holy month, is a tradition observed across the Muslim world, but Libya had not seen it since the end of the 1970s.

But today authorities say they want to bring back the cannon announcing iftar, the meal breaking the fast.

"It's a way to bring joy to the people of Tripoli," said Akram Dribika, the city official organizing the event. "It sends a message that life has returned" to Libya.

'Beautiful surprise'

Many Libyans long to express the country's rich and ancient heritage.

The origin of the iftar cannon remains unclear, but it was likely born in Ottoman-ruled Egypt in the 19th century, when authorities wanted to inform a population with few watches or clocks that the fast was nearly over.

In Martyrs' Square, Nouri Sayeh said he just happened to be passing when he saw the cannon, a "beautiful surprise".

"This is part of our Ramadan heritage. It's really important and it's a tradition we should continue," the 32-year-old said.

The cannon firing is part of a wider effort by authorities and civil society to revive the old medina of Tripoli, after decades of neglect.

Artists, craftsmen and shopkeepers have brought new life to the cobbled alleys, where Roman, Greek and Ottoman subjects walked before them.

Lighting up the old city

After breaking fast, Libyan families flock to the old city and Martyrs' Square, buying candyfloss for their children. Young people sit on benches and drink coffee or take selfies in front of the Ramadan decorations.

For the second year running, the municipality has adorned the main squares and alleys with bunting, traditional lanterns and shapes of the crescent moon, a symbol of Islam.

Rasha Ben Ghara, who grew up in the neighborhood, said she loves seeing the crowds and lights.

Years previously, people had to use the torches of their phones to pick through the old city's unpaved alleyways, she said.

"People used to come to shop in the souk, but today they come to admire the view and the heritage," the 35-year civil servant said.

Even young people say they love the old city.

Motassam Hassan, a 20-year-old computer science student, said he hoped the rest of Libya could see similar efforts at renovation.

"What we see in the medina should be replicated everywhere, beyond Tripoli, so everywhere lights up like this."



Milan’s Historic La Scala Cracks Down on Tourist Dress Code

Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)
Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)
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Milan’s Historic La Scala Cracks Down on Tourist Dress Code

Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)
Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)

A historic opera house in Milan has cracked down on patrons and tourists entering the prestigious venue wearing summer attire such as shorts, tank tops and flip flops, warning they will be turned away if not dressed appropriately.

The opera was seen as a symbol of wealth and exclusivity in 19th-century high society, and the bourgeois elite of this time period would have been expected to turn up in tailcoats, cravats and long evening dresses, The Independent newspaper wrote on Monday.

While this opulent attire is not expected of patrons nowadays, it said Milan’s Teatro alla Scala opera house, commonly known as La Scala, has recently reinforced its smart dress code in the wake of opera-goers turning up in casual summer fashion.

“The public is kindly requested to dress in keeping with the decorum of the theater, out of respect for the theater and for other viewers,” La Scala’s policy said.

“People wearing shorts or sleeveless T-shirts will not be allowed inside the auditorium; in this case, tickets will not be reimbursed.”

The venue also has signs around the foyer and on tickets stating the same message, warning patrons that they will not get a refund if they turn up wearing clothes not in keeping with the “decorum.”

The rules over informal clothing were first introduced in 2015 when the summer season coincided with the World Expo in Milan, as a way to deter the influx of tourists turning up in summer wear.

“There are no special dress code requirements at La Scala,” a spokesperson at the theater told The Independent. “We are delighted that some of our audience members consider an evening at La Scala to be a special occasion and dress accordingly, but our priority is to welcome everyone and make sure they feel comfortable.

“This is precisely why, in 2015, we introduced restrictions on clothing that could cause discomfort to other audience members who have to share the often limited space of an 18th-century theater.

“With the return of summer (an especially hot one), we reminded the audience of these rules, which have remained unchanged for ten years.

“It would not be right to tell spectators how to dress, but it is necessary that they do dress, as not to cause discomfort to other people,” the spokesperson added.

La Scala’s spokesman added that there had been a “change in behavior led by visitors who do not follow opera but see La Scala as a landmark.”