Minister of Home Affairs Imran Abdulla has stated national tradition should be kept for the future generation.
Speaking at the ceremony to celebrate National Day, Minister Imran said every nation is founded on its tradition and, as such, the Maldives is founded on its Islamic, cultural, and historic traditions, which should be safeguarded and upheld by the current generation. He said only the current generation can instill the love of Islam and pass down the teachings.
Additionally, Minister Imran highlighted the importance of upholding the Maldivian language and heritage and teaching the younger generation to ensure the progress of the nation. He noted that Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam had fought for years to free the country and that, 300 years later, National Day is being marked in order for Maldivians to remind themselves of the importance of the occasion.
National Day of the Maldives is celebrated as a tribute to the local resistance led by Muhammad Thakurufaanu that drove out the Portuguese occupiers after they had seized and ruled the nation from 1558 to 1573.