Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla has said the purpose of commemorating National Day should be to learn from the lessons of the past and use them to build the future.
He made the remarks while addressing a National Day ceremony held in Haa Alifu Baarah, which he attended as the chief guest.
Speaker Abdul Raheem said there would be no purpose in commemorating National Day if it were limited to recounting the events associated with the occasion or taking part in sports while wearing national attire. Instead, he said the occasion should be a time to reflect on how Maldivians can follow the path of Mohamed Thakurufaanu and draw lessons from his life.
The Speaker said that although Bodu Thakurufaanu had the opportunity to live a life of prosperity, power and comfort, the noble jihad he undertook for the nation and religion demonstrated that his heart beat for the nation and that he was raised with an Islamic upbringing. He said students today should take inspiration from his actions.
“Rather than pursuing his own interests and personal advancement, he placed the interests and benefit of the entire nation first. This is the lesson today’s generation should learn from him. We should draw inspiration from his jihad and use the lessons of that jihad to build a brighter future for tomorrow,” Speaker Abdul Raheem said.
The Speaker also noted that, in addition to Mohamed Thakurufaanu and his companions, many Maldivians had sacrificed themselves for the nation and said their memories should be kept alive. He reiterated that the purpose of commemorating National Day should be to learn from yesterday and build tomorrow, adding that Bodu Thakurufaanu had acted in this manner.
Noting that National Day belongs to all Maldivians, Speaker Abdul Raheem said the occasion should be a time to make a firm commitment to raise generations who would come forward for the nation and religion should the Maldives face danger in the future.