The National Theatre of Somalia is located in central Mogadishu, Somalia. It opened in 1967 and served as an important cultural landmark in the national capital. The institution closed down after the start of the civil war in the early 1990s but was later intermittently renovated by the local authorities.

The building of the National Theatre of Somalia was built by Chinese engineers as a present from Mao Zedong in the 1960s. The building was finished and opened in 1967.

After Siad Barre came to power the National Theatre became an important institution within the socialist vision of a new Somalia. Siad Barre claimed that he wanted to overcome the clan-based society of Somalia. Therefore people from all the different clans have worked in the National Theatre and have developed its unique aesthetic.

The National Theatre didn’t have a single ensemble, but several bands were working and performing there. In the Somali theatre tradition music and theatrical representation are closely linked, therefore theatre companies are usually referred to as “bands”. The most famous of these were the Waaberi which evolved from the combination of the band of Radio Mogadishu and General Daud band that belonged to the military forces and was named after Daud Abdulle Hirsi

In September 2013, the Somali Federal Government and its Chinese counterpart signed an official cooperation agreement in Mogadishu as part of a five-year national recovery plan in Somalia. The pact will see the Chinese authorities reconstruct the National Theatre of Somalia in addition to several other major infrastructural landmarks

The beach in northern Mogadishu was developed in the late 1930s for the Italian colonists living in the capital of Italian Somalia. In the 1950s it was fully developed.

Today, hundreds of families come to relax on Mogadishu’s coastline each weekend. People stay out at Lido Beach way past dusk to watch the beautiful night skyline and the deep blue ocean. This is a perfect place to get the fresh perspective of a rediscovered Somalia.

Somalia has the biggest coastline in Africa with 3100km along the Indian Ocean, which is home to attractive beaches valuable for tourism. To make Somalia one of the biggest entertainment and tourist destination spots in Africa, Liido Beach has seafood restaurants, hotels, and parks

Somali’s diaspora plays an important role in recovering Mogadishu, building new luxury downtown and beaches like the village, Ocean restaurant, Beder restaurant, Lido seafood restaurant, City Palace and many more that attract international tourists. There are many newly established businesses here

On the weekends, peace garden [Beerta Nabada] is crawling with families with children and buzzing with activities like horse riding and taking pictures. It is a dream come true. Hundreds come here every weekend and it’s not just the local residents but for the visitors from other parts of the country and tourists.

For the city’s young people this is the new hangout spot a photo opportunity for many and for these young men – its selfie time and a chance to spend quality time with loved ones professional photographers too are here hoping to tell a different story.