President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that National Day is a great privilege that reminds Maldivians of the honour of expressing their love for the nation.
The President made the remarks while delivering his address at the official National Day ceremony.
Addressing the National Day gathering, President Muizzu said the occasion should remind Maldivians of the response given by the Maldivian people to the Portuguese occupation during the reign of the ninth Sultan Hassan, and of how the circumstances of the Maldives changed as a result.
He said that while under Portuguese protection, Sultan Hassan had undermined the religious sanctity of Maldivians and, with the support of foreign powers, created ties that were harmful to the nation in pursuit of the Maldivian throne. In response to this situation, Maldivians placed the Maldivian nation and national values first, while also upholding the Maldives and the noble religion of Islam as priorities, the President said.
“Maldivians have also inherited the national spirit - the spirit of wishing the best for the nation. That is why one reason National Day meets us is to remind us of these things. National Day meets us like proud Maldivian ancestors, teaching us to fill our hearts with love for the nation and reminding us of the great privilege of saying yes to national love,” the President said.
President Muizzu said another important reality demonstrated by National Day and the ancestors was that, although only a small number of people may have taken up arms, Maldivians at different levels have always placed national interests first. He said the shedding of blood and sacrifice for the rights of the nation is a defining characteristic of the Maldivian national spirit, and that there should be no distinction between different professions or groups in this regard.
Another reality that National Day conveys, he said, is the wholehearted response that has come from across the Maldives to the National Day call.
“Look at the journey undertaken by our ancestors who raised the black flag and liberated the nation from oppression. Forty different islands across the Maldives participated in this effort, with 40 boats. What this shows is that the entire country participated in this great national struggle. In other words, this shows that national consciousness exists throughout the Maldivian nation. Our ancestors taught us that the nation’s safety and security depend on putting the nation first,” President Muizzu said.
The President said that, therefore, the outlook of the entire Maldives should be to learn from the wise actions of their honoured ancestors in safeguarding the rights of this beloved nation.
President Muizzu also said that Maldivians are a people of the sea and that, following the example of the Utheemu Maharadhun, they became skilled seafarers. He said the lesson to be drawn from this is the need to provide children with knowledge and skills related to that era.
Another lesson National Day reminds Maldivians of, President Muizzu said, is that their national sovereignty and the independence of the nation exist together with their religion.