Minister of Education Dr Ismail Shafeeu has stated that the Arabic language has been inseparably linked to the religious life and educational heritage of Maldivians since Maldives embraced Islam.
He made the remarks while speaking at a ceremony held to mark World Arabic Language Day, observed annually on 18 December.
The ceremony was jointly organised by the Saudi Embassy in the Maldives and the Maldives National University (MNU).
Speaking at the event, Minister Dr Shafeeu said Arabic is more than just a language, describing it as a language of religion, science, civilisation and shared human heritage. He noted that that hundreds of millions of people worldwide speak Arabic and that it holds broad global and personal significance. He added that since embracing Islam, Arabic has been deeply woven into daily religious practices of Maldivians, from Qur’an recitation and prayers to greetings and expressions of gratitude.
As part of the ceremony, prizes were awarded to the winners of oratory, poetry writing and Arabic writing competitions held to mark the occasion. An Umrah trip sponsored by the Saudi Embassy was awarded to first prize winners.