Libya: Celebrations Mark Revolution’s First Anniversary  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage Libya Uprising 2011.
Celebrations are continuing in Libya, which marks the first anniversary of a revolution that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, who ruled the country for 42 years. Netizens share scenes of the celebration and their feelings on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Libyan Hamza Malek notes:
@IbnOmar2005: Real talk: thank you to all the non-libyans out there who supported the libyan fight for freedom. You were a part of this, too. #Libya
and adds in disbelief:
@IbnOmar2005: Today marks the anniversary of the very first protests in #Benghazi #Libya that eventually toppled #Gaddafi. I still cant believe it
Libyan Affairs thanks Shabab Libya (The Youth of Libya) for spreading information about the revolution, particularly in its early days.
@LibyanAffairs: @ShababLibya thankyou for good work during early days of #Feb17! You were an incredible source of information for us in the inside #Libya
Feb17Libya reminds us:
@Feb17Libya: When Gaddafi called us rats, we showed him real men – #Libya #Feb17
And CNN's reporter Jomana Karadsheh adds:
@JomanaCNN: Can't begin to describe the scene in #Tripoli .never seen the city like this.Fireworks, dancing on the streets..amazing night! #Libya
Libyan describes another scene from Tripoli:
@Tripolitanian: People throwing chocolates from their roof tops, what an atmosphere! #Tripoli #Libya #Feb17
Ali Tweel shares this video on YouTube of wishing lanterns flying over Tripoli's Martyr Square:
You can hear the commotion in the background, including the honking of car horns.
Also, Libyan Akram shares this photograph on flickr of fireworks lighting the skies of Tripoli in celebration.
Fireworks in the skies of Tripoli to mark the revolution anniversary. Photograph used with permission from flyingbirds on flickr
Meanwhile, NPR's senior strategist Andy Carvin, who played an instrumental role in amplifying the voices of Libyan netizens during the revolution, is in Benghazi, taking in the celebrations in person.
He tweets:
@acarvin: And there goes some celebratory gunfire in the distance. The sound of the cars doing donuts almost drowned it out. #benghazi
This post is part of our special coverage Libya Uprising 2011.