Streaming service History Hit has debuted Ancient Adventures: Libya. It marks the first historical documentary produced in the country since 2011 - following years of civil war and instability.
Made possible with support from the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund, this documentary was a first for the History Hit team. In May 2025, CPF’s Grants Manager Mona Habeb remarked on the experience as one where 'Libya’s cultural heritage is not a relic of the past, but a cornerstone of the future.’
During their visit, historian and broadcaster Dan Snow and filmmaker Bill Locke delivered a hands-on masterclass at the University of Benghazi. They shared practical tips and insights on how digital media can be used to document and share Libyan stories with global audiences.
The team also captured the extraordinary work of CPF projects in historic Benghazi and Al-Haniyah, as well as exploring UNESCO’s World Heritage sites across Cyrene and Apollonia. The documentary coverage highlights the community and institutional efforts focused on both protecting Libya’s rich cultural heritage as well as their efforts in supporting heritage tourism.
The CPF projects featured in Ancient Adventures: Libya include
- World Monuments Fund’s project in historic Benghazi which focuses on the urban fabric of the post-conflict city.
- Palestine Exploration Fund and MarEA’s work on conserving underwater heritage, and their efforts to train the next generation of divers so that conservation efforts are carried out locally.
For Dan Snow, 'It was fascinating and enlightening to film for History Hit in Libya and see the great work that the British Council's Cultural Protection Fund is doing in collaboration with other organisations to preserve the cultural heritage of Benghazi and Cyrenaica. Experiencing that work up close in person showed the great care being taken in a fast changing world to preserve cultural activities and the built environment for future generations.'
Stream the documentary and discover more behind-the-scenes content here.
