Military parade and cultural displays held to mark Independence Day
27 ޖުލައި 2026 | ހޯމަ 06:41The President, the First Lady, and senior government officials attended the Independence Day military parade and cultural displays held at Republic Square. The event featured performances by the Maldives National Defence Force and school students, as well as traditional cultural items, concluding with a spectacular fireworks display.
The President and First Lady attend the ceremonial parade and field displays held to commemorate Independence Day. | Presidents Office
Military drills and traditional festivities were held at Republic Square on Sunday night to commemorate the Maldives' 61st Independence Day.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed attended the event to observe the sporting activities.
The ceremony was graced by Saudi Arabia's Minister of State, Prince Dr. Mansour bin Mutaib bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
To officially commence the proceedings, a presidential salute was accorded to the President, accompanied by a 21-gun salute. Subsequently, the President received further presidential salutes during the ceremonial parades of the Maldives National Defence Force and the Maldives National Cadet Corps, which featured students from 15 schools.
Students from Shaheed Ali School, Rehendhi School, and Iskandhar School participated in the event. The proceedings also featured a demonstration by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), followed by a cultural performance by the "Hevalla" group.
The field events concluded with a spectacular fireworks display.
According to the President's Office, tonight's festivities were attended by the Speaker of the People's Majlis, Abdul Raheem Abdulla, Chief Justice Uz. Ahmed Muthasim Adnan, and the Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, who is visiting as a special guest of the Maldivian government. The event was also attended by cabinet ministers, members of parliament, senior government officials, foreign ambassadors, and other dignitaries.
