Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Yumna Maumoon has revealed the majority of documentation work to list Male’ Friday Mosque as a world heritage site has been completed.
Heritage Minister Yumna said collection of historical information and carrying research relevant to the site have been completed and the information has been shared with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The minister said all relevant documents that prove the uniqueness of the mosque has also been sent to UNESCO.
Speaking to press after commencing the renovation work of the minaret and wells of the Friday Mosque, Minister Yumna said the previous administration neglected the historical places and heritage without due care, adding this has caused several damages to historical places and heritage. She further said the ministry is currently running various projects to protect these sites.
The minister remarked on the importance of passing a bill that protects the heritage sites in Maldives, highlighting that the introduction of such a bill would emphasise the efforts to inscribe one of the few coral stone mosques in the country on the World Heritage List, which has been an important priority of the administration. Currently six mosques, including the Friday Mosque, have been inscribed on the temporary World Heritage Site List.
Male’ Friday mosque is a masterpiece of coral stone masonry built during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar I in 1656, depicting the Islamic unity in the Maldives and the skills of the local craftsmen in carving corals elegantly. Such magnificent coral stone carving skills is unmatched anywhere in the world.