President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated the strengthening of friendly relations and multilateral ties with the global community is vital to the independence of the Maldives. He made the statement in a public address to the nation at the ceremony to mark the 56th anniversary of Maldives independence.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Solih said the Maldives was able to secure the Presidency of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) due to its policy of strengthening connections while respecting the sovereignty and selective boundaries of independence of other nations. The president noted that every Maldivian victory in pursuit of independence for the nation had come as a result of their faith in Islam and the bonds of unity amongst the people.
The president highlighted that despite the actions of some radical groups promoting extremist views in the Maldives, these radical views contradict the belief of Islam, and he called upon the people to unite and stand up against these groups. He further said spreading Islamophobic hate speech is a treacherous act that divides the people and that neither of these acts would be tolerated, adding that these two issues cannot be resolved by only pursuing legal action but rather by following the true teachings of Islam.
Additionally, President Solih revealed that efforts by the government are focused on identifying and incorporating Islamic values into the education sector to best assist parents in nurturing their children to adopt the true Islamic teachings of compassion from an early age.
This year's Independence Day ceremony began with a flag hoisting ceremony at Republic Square, in which senior government officials were in attendance.