Muizzu launches five-year National Respect Initiative in Malé

This page sums up what eight published sources reported about the initiative. It is a record of what outlets said, not original reporting. One of the eight is an opinion piece, and it is marked as one.

On Saturday evening, 14 November 2026, President Mohamed Muizzu inaugurated the National Respect Initiative, a five-year nationwide programme, at a ceremony at the Maafannu Track in Malé, according to the President's Office.¹ First Lady Sajidha Mohamed, Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla, Cabinet ministers and heads of institutions attended.¹

The government describes the aim as strengthening mutual respect, reviving moral values and upholding human dignity, in a society grounded in Islamic principles and free from resentment and ridicule.¹ The Standard Maldives describes it as a government-led campaign to revive respect for one another and strengthen Maldivian national identity.⁴ The Standard Maldives adds that it focuses in particular on young people and children.⁵

The President unveiled the initiative's official logo at the ceremony.¹ The Standard Maldives says a slogan, a theme song and a launch video were also unveiled, and that the event ended with fireworks.⁴ The ministry had said the fireworks would last three minutes, between 9:40pm and 10:30pm.⁵

Genuine national development means developing Maldivians' mindsets as well as infrastructure, Muizzu said.¹ He described the aim as "building the land and building the nation".⁴

He said ending ridicule, backbiting and lying would help people treat one another with dignity and respect, and recalled punctuality as a value held in high regard in earlier generations.¹ He said respect must be strengthened in families, in friendships and across society.⁴

Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Heena Waleed gave a presentation on the campaign. The Standard Maldives reports that she called it the biggest initiative a Maldivian leader has started to build people.⁴

The Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage oversees the initiative.¹ The Cabinet approved it on 6 September 2026, after a paper from the ministry.²

It runs under the slogan "Value of Respect - Benefit to Society". A nine-member committee will provide guidance and oversight, with representatives from seven ministries and Public Service Media. The government also decided that one day each year will be National Respect Day, which will serve as the initiative's official inauguration.²

Opposition parties were invited. At a press briefing on 7 September, the President said opposition parties had discouraged their members from accepting the government's invitation to take part, and urged all parties to show a united commitment.³ The listed sources include no response from the opposition parties.

In an opinion piece on Raajje TV's site on 3 August, Zunana Zalif argued that a national respect campaign has value only if it welcomes political rivals, and urged Muizzu to sit down with opposition parties. The piece also argued that political leaders must set the example themselves.⁸

The Standard Maldives says Muizzu first announced the campaign on 9 July this year.⁴ The President's Office says he first announced it during a visit to Mahibadhoo in October 2025.¹

Atoll Times and MV+ both published reports on 8 October 2025 of an announcement at a rally in Mahibadhoo, Alifu Dhaalu Atoll.^{6, 7} Atoll Times reports that he said the values of respect had weakened over the years, "particularly during a period of political change". MV+ reports that he said the tradition had been eroding in the current political climate.^{6, 7} Both report that he called on citizens and political parties to take part.^{6, 7} Atoll Times noted that the government had not yet detailed any activities.⁶

The listed sources do not explain the difference over the date.

• The cost or funding of the initiative. None of the listed sources gives a figure.
• A programme of activities and dates. The sources describe the aims and structure, not a schedule.²
• Who will sit on the nine-member committee, beyond the institutions it draws from.²
• Whether 14 November is the National Respect Day. The sources do not say.
• Whether opposition parties will take part.³