Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy His Excellency Ali Shareef,

Managing Director of Housing Development Cooperation Brigadier General (Retired) Ali Zuhair,

Ambassadors, High Commissioners, distinguished guests, and dear colleagues, 

Assalamalaikum and a very good evening to you all. 

It is a pleasure to welcome you here today as we come together to mark World Environment Day through this tree planting initiative. 

We gather here, around a simple but powerful idea. 

Sixty trees for sixty years.

The significance of this initiative lies in what it represents. 

This year, the Maldives is marking sixty years of its independence.

Over six decades, we have moved…
 
…from the foundations of statehood to the strengthening of our democratic institutions
…from defining our identity to establishing our place in the international community.

It has been a journey of nation-building, adaptation, and resilience.

That work continues today as we confront new challenges built on the progress we have achieved.

It is therefore fitting that we mark this milestone through an environmental initiative.

Our story on the international stage is inseparable from the environment itself.

We are a nation whose voice is both respected and heard in global discussions on climate change, environmental protection, and sustainable development. 

Successive generations of leaders and diplomats have worked to ensure that the concerns of Small Island Developing States are reflected in international decision-making.

For the Maldives, protecting the environment means protecting our people, livelihoods, economy, and culture.

Climate change is our present reality. Rising sea levels, coastal erosion, shifting weather patterns, and growing pressure on fragile ecosystems underscore the urgency of climate action.

While global cooperation remains essential, resilience must also be built at home through sustained effort and shared responsibility.

It must be across our society.

Environmental advocacy is more than international agreements alone. 

It must also be reflected in the choices we make, as governments, as institutions, as communities, and as individuals.

This event reflects the vision of His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who has placed sustainability at the centre of national development, with a focus on building greener, healthier and resilient communities.

The President’s 5 million trees-planting initiative is guided by the principle that sustainability is a shared responsibility : demanding the active partnership of the government, the private sector, civil society, and individual citizens alike. 

And it is through this shared effort that climate resilience is built. 

Today's initiative reflects that vision in action.

And, there is perhaps no better setting for this initiative than Hulhumalé.

The diplomatic enclave that is being developed in Hulhumalé, will become our home. 

For many members of the diplomatic community, Hulhumalé is infact already home. And for many of our staff too.

It is where your families are raised, your children grow, and where an important part of our national future is being written.

Every plant we place in the ground today represents an investment in that future.

It will contribute to making Hulhumalé greener, healthier, and more resilient. And in turn, our country more sustainable, and resilient. 

As we mark World Environment Day and sixty years of independence, we turn our focus to the future.

The choices we make today will shape what the next generation inherits.

Let the sixty trees we plant together stand as living symbols of what we build, and what we choose to preserve.

I take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, especially the Five Million Tree Programme Unit, the Housing Development Corporation, the Ministry staff, and all those who contributed to making this initiative possible.

I also thank the diplomatic community present here today. 

Together, you have helped turn this initiative into a meaningful expression of our collective responsibility to the environment and to the generations that will follow.

I thank you.

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon, and Assalaamu Alaikum.

We meet at a time of profound global transformation. Geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, climate-related challenges, and growing pressures on multilateral institutions continue to reshape the international landscape. 

In our interconnected world, events in one region can have implications well beyond their borders. This makes collaboration and mutual engagement more important than ever.

Against this backdrop, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East highlights the enduring importance of dialogue and diplomacy in safeguarding international peace and security. Beyond its humanitarian impact, the conflict has had significant repercussions for global stability and prosperity, while raising concerns about the capacity of the international system to respond collectively to emerging challenges.

For small island developing states such as the Maldives, the effects of such crises are often amplified, highlighting our vulnerability to external developments and the importance of a peaceful and stable international environment.

In the face of ongoing crises, collective action remains indispensable. No nation can address the complex challenges of our time alone. Our ability to build a more peaceful and secure world depends on learning the lessons of the past and having the courage to take affirmative action. Meeting these challenges will require unity and resolve, guided by a shared sense of purpose.

It is for these reasons that the Maldives chose to participate in this Forum. China has consistently emphasized consensus, common prosperity, and cooperative approaches to global challenges. These principles continue to resonate across our region, reflecting our aspirations for development and stronger regional ties.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

China, and in particular Yunnan Province, has been a valued partner in the Maldives' development journey. Our friendship, forged across mountains and seas, is built on mutual respect, enduring goodwill, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of our peoples. 

Anchored by these principles, and by the Maldives' steadfast commitment to the One-China Principle, our bilateral relationship continues to flourish.

Over the years, cooperation across a wide range of economic and development sectors, supported by the Free Trade Agreement, has deepened the close partnership between our two countries. Today, China is one of the Maldives' largest trading partners and its largest source market for tourism. 

Landmark projects such as the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge have had a transformative impact on the Maldives, strengthening national connectivity. Today, the bridge stands as a lasting symbol of the friendship between our two countries and the tangible benefits of our cooperation.

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s State Visit to China in 2024 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin in 2025 marked a new chapter in Maldives–China relations, culminating in the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership. 

Building on this foundation, we look forward to expanding cooperation, including through China’s four global initiatives, in ways that contribute to our national development priorities.

Yunnan Province, with its rich history as a gateway for cultural exchange and regional connectivity, embodies the spirit of openness and cooperation that this Forum seeks to promote.

While this is my first visit to Kunming, I had the pleasure of visiting China in 2017, and continue to carry fond memories of the warmth, hospitality, and friendship extended to me during that visit. Those memories serve as a personal reminder of the close bonds between our peoples and the enduring partnership between the Maldives and China.

As I conclude, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Governor of Yunnan Province, His Excellency Wang Yubo, the Organizing Committee, and the Government of the People's Republic of China for their warm welcome and hospitality, and for convening this important Forum—a valuable platform for meaningful dialogue and stronger regional cooperation.

Looking ahead, the Maldives guided by President Dr. Muizzu’s Maldives first foreign policy, remains committed to working closely with China and all our partners to strengthen ties and deepen mutual understanding. We look forward to building on the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and advancing our vision of a Maldives–China community with a shared future. 
Ultimately, the strength of any relationship lies not only in shared interests, but in the trust, understanding, and goodwill that sustain it—values that will continue to guide relations between our two countries in the years ahead.

Thank you.

Minister of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development His Excellency Dr Ismail Shafeeu,

President of International Global Network Muhammad Fahrizal,

Distinguished guests, teachers, students and visiting delegates,

Assalamalaikum and a very good morning to you all. 

It is a pleasure to join you here at the opening of the fourteenth iteration of the Asia World Model United Nations. 

If you have ever opened Instagram or Tiktok for a “quick” scroll you will be very familiar with this pattern. 
 
One moment it is a meme. The next, a promo we skip. Then, suddenly a flood. Then, a conflict. And then a protest in a place you just learnt of.

Everything appears in the same feed at the same speed.

That, in itself, says something important about the world we live in today.

What is far away, and what is right in front of you, are no longer separated.

And your generation understands this better than any generation before it.

And that is both a privilege and a responsibility. 

A privilege because you are more connected, informed and aware. 

A responsibility because the pace makes it harder to understand, reflect and respond meaningfully. 

Today, we are living through a period of profound uncertainty.

Climate change is placing pressure on vulnerable communities. 

Public health systems are continuing to face stress and inequality. 

Political polarisation, misinformation and distrust are weakening cohesion within societies, and cooperation between nations.

These are not isolated issues. 

They are interconnected challenges in an interconnected world.  

They remind us of the simple - but important truth, that no one country, one institution, or one leader alone can solve those uncertainties. Address those challenges. 

In a world shaped by interdependence, progress must depend on engagement. It must depend on rules, partnerships, and mutual respect.

This is a principle that small states like the Maldives have long understood.

Sixty years ago, the Maldives chose precisely that path. 

When we were admitted as the 117th Member State of the United Nations, we were a newly independent nation with limited resources and an uncertain future.

Back then, many questioned whether a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) could ever have a meaningful voice in shaping global affairs. 

They questioned whether we could fully undertake the responsibilities of being a member of the global community. 

But the Maldives understood an important reality from the very beginning: in a system defined by interdependence, size does not determine relevance. Engagement does. 

And so, we chose not to stand at the margins but to participate in it.

We learned to navigate its structures. We contributed within its institutions. And over time, we helped shape parts of it.

For the Maldives, multilateralism has been essential. It has been the space through which a small state likes us ensures that its concerns are heard and prioritised. 

We are proud to be a strong advocate for climate action, sustainable development, and the protection of human rights.

We have worked to ensure that the realities of SIDS are tests of the international system’s credibility.

Outdated global financial architectures, persistent inequality, financing gaps, and the widening digital divide continue to constrain progress.

This is why the Maldives continues to support a United Nations that is stronger, more representative, and more responsive.

This is why responsibility must be shared. 

And why leadership today must be responsible.

Choosing between clear right and wrong is, in many ways, the easier part. 

The harder task is making decisions between imperfect outcomes. 

It requires judgement. It requires restraint. And it requires a clear sense of purpose. 

Because in the end, cooperation matters. Trust matters. And, dialogue matters.

These are habits that must be cultivated early. In classrooms. In conversations. And, in debates such as the ones you will engage during this conference.

This is where platforms like Model United Nations play an important role.

At one level, it is a simulation of diplomacy. But its real value lies elsewhere.

It also teaches something that is rare.

The ability to listen to those you disagree with, without dismissing them.

It teaches patience. Discipline. Empathy. 

And to defend principles while still respecting differences.

These are not just conference skills.

These are survival skills for the 21st century.

So do not underestimate your role here.

Age is not the determinant of relevance. 

Engagement is. Curiosity is. And the willingness to learn is.

We are living in a time where every crisis is visible in real time.

In such an environment, the challenge is perspective.

The question before you is, not whether you will shape the future.

You will.

The question is what kind of future you will help to shape.

One that is more divided, or more cooperative, 
… more cynical, or more constructive, 
… more unstable, or more resilient.

Despite the uncertainty around us, I remain optimistic.

Not because the challenges are small.

But because I believe in the capacity of people, especially young people like you, to rise to meet them.

The tides of tomorrow are not fixed.

They will be shaped by the values you uphold, the choices you make, and the courage you demonstrate when faced with difficult decisions.

So participate fully in this conference.

Speak with confidence.

Listen with humility.

Lead with integrity.

And remember that the future is something you help create.

I wish all of you a meaningful conference, thoughtful discussions, lasting friendships, and an inspiring journey ahead.

I thank you.