President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said that today we must resolve to keep all Maldivian children away from every undesirable thing. He said this in his address on the occasion of Children’s Day celebrated today. In his address, the President extended his best wishes and congratulations for Children’s Day to the beloved Maldivian children and their families.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that Children’s Day is a special occasion that connects the happiness of today and the sweet hopes of tomorrow for the nation. Noting that children make up a quarter of the Maldives’ population, the President said that they are preparing to take charge of this country’s affairs in the future. He said that raising them as a strong generation and nurturing them to uphold the sovereignty, dignity and civilizationd civilization of Maldivians is the foremost national duty placed on our shoulders.

The President’s address highlighted that one truth evident from the noble guidance of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is that a newborn child is born in a state of natural purity, and that the child’s behavior and beliefs are shaped by the upbringing given by the parents. “Children’s nature contains innocence and straightforwardness. They see adults as guardians, guides, and helpers. Their innocence always makes room for listening to elders. To imitate our behavior and the examples we set,” said President Dr. Muizzu.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that today we must resolve to keep all Maldivian children away from every undesirable thing. And to show a beautiful environment of mutual respect and adorned with good manners, whether at home, on the streets, or anywhere else. He also said we must ensure they receive education and training that is suitable for the times and useful for tomorrow, and to ensure that Maldivian-loving, Maldivian, Muslim children will carry the glory and dignity of this nation on their shoulders.

In his special address for Children’s Day, the President also gave important messages to children. He advised them to remember that these are the most valuable days of their age, and to learn new useful things every day. The President urged them to resolve to make each day more successful than the last, to perform the five daily prayers, to respect religion, and to familiarize themselves with Maldivian customs. He also called on children to love their country as much as they love their mothers, not to waste time, and to remain obedient kids who maintain healthy habits.

The President said that children are the coolness of our eyes and the peace of our hearts. He added that they are the continuity of the nation, and that raising young children properly is the greatest assurance for a prosperous future, President Dr. Muizzu said.

First Lady Madam Sajida Mohamed has said that we need to hurry to provide assistance to children before they meet in courtrooms for violating laws and regulations. She said this while speaking at the opening of the “National Juvenile Justice Conference 2025”, which was held for the first time in the Maldives. Speaking as the guest of honor at the ceremony held at Villa Nautica to start the National Juvenile Justice Conference 2025, First Lady Madam Sajida Mohamed said that the environment in which children who are exposed to crime have to live plays a major role in their involvement in crime.

She also said that when society labels children in a certain way and makes them feel like criminals, the negative habits seen from children before they commit major crimes are a plea for help, even if they cannot express it. She noted that we need to help these children before they become harsh and violent people due to society’s perceptions. Therefore, the First Lady said that we need to hurry today to become people who provide the care and assistance needed for these children before they meet in courtrooms for committing major crimes that violate laws and regulations. The First Lady also highlighted an example of this in her speech.

“Statistics show that before a 14-year-old was arrested for murder, the child had interacted with relevant state agencies 191 times in various ways. The question that arises at this point is how many opportunities did we have to create opportunities for that child.” Madam Sajida said.

First Lady Sajida Mohamed has appealed to all relevant parties to work towards change through the National Juvenile Justice Conference 2025 over the next two days. She appealed to work on finding solutions through this conference, remembering that children exposed to crime were once victims themselves. She also requested those working in the education sector to be aware of the various changes seen in children and to give them extra attention.

In her speech, the First Lady Madam Sajida Mohamed highlighted the situation of children at risk in society. She expressed concern about the situations faced by children who are victims of sexual abuse, children who are exposed to the dangers of drugs and gang crimes, and children who choose the wrong path due to lack of care and compassion as a result of not receiving justice for various issues they faced in childhood through the system.

She also said that while the state budget spends about a billion rufiyaa annually on various efforts to ensure the protection of children, it needs to be done through a robust system. She emphasized the importance of making this system one that provides protection from the circumstances that led to crime, rather than rushing to punish.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu stated that “Maldives 2.0” is the biggest step taken to eliminate corruption from within the state system. He also said it is a system that gives every citizen full control and empowerment over their information (data). The President said that this system ensures a transparent, fast, and easy service standard. He noted that this is a system that will raise the Maldives many ranks in the list of least corrupt countries, and will also raise the Maldives many ranks in the Press Freedom Index.

In the President’s post, he highlighted that this is the goal desired by the people, and in the journey towards achieving this goal, the government will move forward closely with the people and together with the people. He also raised the question of why political opposition parties oppose whenever an anti-corruption effort is initiated, and called on political opposition parties to participate responsibly in this journey.

“Maldives 2.0”, which is being implemented to execute the government’s digitalization policy, is a program inaugurated by the government to work collaboratively across all state institutions and lead the Maldives towards revolutionary and reformative changes in the digital sphere. The government says this is a project that will be carried out over the next 3 years to implement the government’s digital transformation policy.

The government states that this project will pave the way for a “smarter” government, faster service delivery, elimination of corruption, and transformation of governance to be more transparent with the help of technology. They say that this project is not just about outlining digital transformation strategies, but it is a project aimed at bringing revolutionary changes to the way services are provided to citizens by the entire state and how institutions are administratively run, using digital tools, with the goal of delivering results over the next 3 years.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has assured that he will bring the long-neglected thalassemia issues back on track and bring contentment and prosperity to thalassemia children and their families. The President gave this assurance in his address on World Thalassemia Day.

In his address on World Thalassemia Day, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that the Maldives is one of the countries with the highest percentage of thalassemia children in proportion to the population. He noted that one in every 18 people in the population is a carrier with the potential for thalassemia inheritance. The President said that special emphasis should be placed on raising awareness about thalassemia among the public and those involved in the treatment system, as well as facilitating the resources needed for thalassemia treatment.

The President has assured that he will make the vision and promises he revealed for thalassemia children during the presidential election a reality. The President said that he is listening to the stories of thalassemia children and their families and is directly overseeing the treatment of thalassemia in the Maldives. He assured that the government’s efforts to bring the long-neglected thalassemia issues back on track will bring contentment to these children and their families.

The President’s address also highlighted the hardships faced by thalassemia children in the islands of the Maldives. He noted that children with thalassemia in the islands endure many difficulties day and night, and reminded that maintaining their health and strengthening the treatment system is the responsibility of all concerned parties. The President said that treatment alone is not important, but that it is necessary to prove through words and actions today that these children should be given the same opportunities as any other individual in society. He highlighted aspects such as compassionate interaction, education, and opening up avenues for income generation.

In his address, the President called for learning positive lessons from the patience and courage of children enduring the hardships of thalassemia. Noting that every effort made by each person to ease the burden these children bear in seeking a normal life is a blessed act, the President urged blood donations for thalassemia children. He also appealed for the entire Maldivian nation to participate in helping every child suffering from thalassemia. The President called on every Maldivian citizen to cooperate with the government in easing any difficulty faced by these children.

Consultations have been held with the University of Islam Selangor, Malaysia regarding programs that could be conducted to train young preachers. These consultations were carried out when the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, met with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Islam Selangor, Malaysia, Dato Professor Dr. Mohamed Faris Ravi bin Abdullah.

During this meeting, discussions were held between the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and the University regarding human resource development in Islamic fields. As such, consultations were held regarding programs that could be conducted to train imams and young preachers in the Maldives, as well as potential work that could be done to develop human resources in important areas such as Halal management.

It is noteworthy that developing human resources and facilitating further training in Islamic fields is something that the Ministry of Islamic Affairs is giving high priority to during this term. Earlier this month, the Maldives National University has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Islam Selangor, Malaysia. Under this MoU, it has been arranged to conduct joint research on various regional and international issues. Additionally, the National University has stated that there will be opportunities for staff and students to participate in exchange programs. Furthermore, the University has stated that they will work together to revive and promote the religious and cultural traditions of both countries.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said that the goal is to make the Maldives a country that is advanced in the field of Islamic finance along with digital economic changes. He said this while speaking at the inauguration of the Maldives Islamic Social Finance Initiative. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu said that ensuring that every individual in society has the opportunity to live with dignity and respect is important to achieve real development.

The President said that with the Maldives Islamic Social Finance Initiative (MISFI) inaugurated today, relationships between the financial sector and civil society organizations will be strengthened, and a robust system will be established to help those in need in the society.

“The government is ready to make the necessary changes to laws and regulations to make this a reality. As we work towards this goal, we must recognize that a country’s development is not only measured by its economic progress, but it is a goal that is achieved by providing everyone with the opportunity to live in society with dignity and respect,” the President said.

The President said that the goal is to make the Maldives a country that is advanced in the field of Islamic finance along with digital economic changes. He also said that the Maldives Finance Initiative is a project that will increase the participation of others in financial matters and help achieve important aspects included in the national development plan.

The President highlighted that helping those in need in society, establishing justice, and establishing social equality, which are among the principles always accepted by Maldivians, are the goals that are being worked on to achieve under this initiative. In this regard, the President said that through charity, waqf, and Islamic crowd funding, along with the Islamic banking system, vulnerable people in society will be financially empowered and social justice will be established.