President: We must safeguard our hearts from ‘waves’ of foreign influence

We need to work hard to safeguard the hearts and minds of Maldivians generations from waves of foreign influences, said President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Wednesday, in an appeal directed at parents, teachers and the entire Maldivian community.

In his address on Wednesday morning during the National Day function, President Muizzu said that Maldivians have always been “champions of independence.” He said that the need to remain independent is an inherent part of all Maldivians, and the tenet around which his administration shapes all its policies.

“On this day, we must renew our determination to build this nation. We must renew our spirit,” he said.

In his address, President Muizzu spoke about the history of the Maldives’ independence, the struggle for liberation, the secret to maintaining its independence, the key role nationalism plays in independence, and the importance his administration places on protection of nationalism.

“We must work hard to safeguard the hearts and minds of our generations from waves of foreign influences. I call upon every parent, every teacher and every Maldivian citizen to take the initiative in this,” he said.

President Muizzu said that people sacrifice their lives for their county because the country saves them. He said that this is why Maldivian ancestors protected their lands and seas.

He said that a country cannot defend itself if it can’t defend its identity.

This makes the protection of our Maldivian identity crucial, he said.

“Isn’t there a reason why Ibn Battuta described Maldivians as upright and pious? Isn’t there a reason why foreign navigators told their sailors not to take even a fruit that falls from a Maldivian tree without asking for permission?” he said.

“We want to revive the virtues of these Maldivians. This discipline.”

President Muizzu said that Maldivians must remain rooted to their values and virtues when moving forward.

The National Day is celebrated annually on the first of Rabi’ al-Awwal, as a solemn reminder of the valiant efforts of national hero al-Sultan al-Ghaazee Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-A’uzam in liberating the Maldives from Portuguese rule.

This day is a tribute to the resilience and sacrifice that underpin the nation’s independence.