Maldives celebrates Independence Day on Monday July 26, marking the 45th anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain.
All events are scheduled to commence following a special prayer conducted after the dawn prayer.
July 26
6:00am: The national flag will be hoisted across all the islands of the Maldives. President Mohamed Nasheed will hoist the national flag in Male’. President Mohamed Nasheed will address the nation.
7:00am: Watersports
8:00am: Opening ceremony of Velaanaage Office, presidential residence of former President Ibrahim Nasir, which will house all government offices under one roof.
9:00am: Launching of the National Museum.
10:00am: Opening ceremony of the new Defence Building. The ceremony will be honoured by the father of Martyr Hussein Adam, who defended the gates of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) base during the 1988 November 3 coup by Sri Lankan secessionists, the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE).
11:00am: launching of the Correctional Training Centre for Children at Feydhufinolhu, by President Mohamed Nasheed and First Lady Laila Ali.
14:00pm: Opening ceremony of the Police Building, by President Moahmed Nasheed and First Lady Laila Ali.
17:00pm: Parade and guard of honour for Preisdent Mohamed Nasheed and First Lady Laila Ali.
20:30pm: Music Show at Alimas Carnival Stage, attended by filmstar Moosa ‘Chilhiya’ Maniku.
July 27
8:30am: Launching ceremony of the MNDF Training Wing at Girifushi, a military island. President and First Lady will attend the event.
10:00am: Launching ceremony of Hulhumale’ hospital’s ICU.
14:00pm: Program to reduce the numbers of crows and bats will be held at Holhudhoo in Noonu Atoll.
20:00pm: A special function conducted by the President and First Lady at Dharubaaruge.
20:30pm: Music Show at Alimas Carnival Stage.
Celebrating perhaps the biggest mistake in Maldivian history. Carry on fools.
under the new Maldivian govt, are we independent from the British?
Sure, we are independent, and we've been using that independence to destroy ourselves.
Much of the country has not moved on from the middle ages. Those who have made progress would like to keep that status, i.e. keep the vast majority stuck in the middle ages.
Viva la independence!
@ YokYok
I feel offended by your comment!
@rocket
The truth will be the truth. Maldives was enjoying tremendous growth under the British. I believe today Maldives would have been in the same level as Singapore or Hongkong had we stayed under the British banner.
You should be more offended by your people for making silly fairy tales and lies to cover up the history of the Maldives. Nobody but an idiot would believe such stories, yet we proudly put it down as history. You might be proud of your constitution, yet it is the biggest piece of crap ever created and the source of the all the nonsense we experience today.
"The truth will be the truth. Maldives was enjoying tremendous growth under the British. I believe today Maldives would have been in the same level as Singapore or Hongkong had we stayed under the British banner."
Ask the Aborigines of Australia.
Sure, as a country Australia has enjoyed "tremendous growth under the British." And it is even better than "Singapore or Honkgkong."
But look at what the state of its natives are!
You cannot be more naive, YokYok. Grow up!
I love you YokYok
...so I see a lot of people who don't love or have the least bit of respect for our country. Shame on those! It is true that in an era of globalization, no country is 100% independent from the other, but in principle, we are an independent country, who have the freedom and choice to make independent decisions, and I'm proud of. I am proud to be Maldivian.
@Rocket
Why don't you take a field trip to Australia and take a look at those aborigines. Cause if you did, you'd know how wrong you are about these people.
@Baazu
It's not that I don't love my country, I don't like the lies and the facade about this place. This celebration of independence is a facade.
This Independence day looks to be a great campaign for MDP. So it is better to say Annipendence rather than Independence day.
@Yokyok
Shame on you for despising our independence!
You also hate Islam, I guess?
I just had a look at your past comments. I think you are an Islam-hater?
@Heck
You really are a one track minded guy. Bringing religion into everything. But since you asked, let me make it clear.
No I have nothing against Islam. My comments might seem anti Islamic. But I am always defending people's right/freedom to choose their beliefs. That include yours Heck. No one should force(against Islam) you or hate you for being a Muslim. And you should learn to do the same. You shouldn't go out demanding blood just cause they are not Muslim. Respect and learn to respect, that's all I am saying.If you can't do that, then you are making an enemy of 4 Billion plus people.
I'm sure you can agree with me on that. If you cant, thats a shame.
Since I answered yours, might I ask you a question. Do you believe this is a Muslim country? Apart from Haabi people and their families, not many even perform 5 prayers a day. Even the Friday prayer, only a handful even bothers listening. And half of them turn up just after the Sermon. I can see countless people just joy riding through Sermons. I can see people shopping through prayers. There are many people fornicating. Drinking Alcohol. Looting, killing, robbing...you name it.
You would know better but, as far as I know, to be a Muslim, there are lots of things you need to do. And to my knowledge, unless you do everything, you are not a true Muslim. I say, there are tonnes of Maldivians who call themselves Muslims, but are not.
July 27: 14:00pm: Program to reduce the numbers of crows and bats will be held at Holhudhoo in Noonu Atoll.
Why is this part of the Independence Day programme and why is eliminating crows and bats important?
http://bluepeacemaldives.org/news2004/crowsinthemaldives.htm
@ Yokyok
You are incredible.
"Why don’t you take a field trip to Australia and take a look at those aborigines. Cause if you did, you’d know how wrong you are about these people."
I don't think travelling in Australia will make me see the real state of the aborigines any more than what I have already seen.
But, here is a comment form the WHO website.
"Australia’s 517 200 Aboriginals make up 2.5% of the population and are the country’s most disadvantaged group."
Check out the full article on http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/86/4/08-020408/en/
@Rocket
I have gone to Australia, I have seen them. I do agree there was mistreatment and lot of violence back in the days. But these days, they refuse any help from anyone. Let alone their own mothers. They just sit there, refusing the houses built for them (quite nice, big), refusing the education, refusing anything. The way they talk to people (including their mothers), you wouldn't even talk to your worst enemy in such language.
People can live peacefully if they want to. I don't see people in New Zealand, Hongkong, or Singapore complaining about the British. Fine example would be Germany, they were enemy of the world 70 years ago, now they are living a peacefully and friends with most the country they fought against.
@YokYok
You might have "gone to Australia" and you might have "seen them" but you seem to have the most one dimensional view of history and put on blinders on the way natives were treated and the institutionalised racism there. And while you dismiss history of mistreatment (ever heard of the stolen generation) as something that happened "back in the days" you need to realise how much social dynamics are affected by (your disregarded) historical events. And your comments regarding the Aborigines are just over generalised, over simplified and racist.
And New Zealand arent complaining about the british?? Again, just going there and playing tourist where you see just the beautiful side does not make you an expert on their bitter and difficult racial history.
You are just like these radicals, who are in denial, disregard and justify the killing of innocents done by their followers as for the greater good.
Maldives may not be perfect, but this is what we have inherited. Sitting around in cafe's and complaining about it does nothing but waste energy. If the country bothers you (and I refer to all those who are all mouth and no action) either go do something about it or migrate to England.
@Brown
It's not like I am in denial of complaints, but people should learn to accept people for who they are instead of hating someone for what his/her ancestors did some hundreds of years ago.
There are tonnes and tonnes of wrong doings in this world. But if we continue hating all that...theres not use of living.
@Yokyok
"There are tonnes and tonnes of wrong doings in this world. But if we continue hating all that…theres not use of living."
SO you mean if we hate ROBBERY and MURDER..."theres not use of living"?
*looking high above* What hit me!