Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Heena Waleed has said that Dhivehi writers play a vital role in instilling cultural values and the spirit of national identity in the hearts of young people.
In a message issued today to mark National Writers’ Day, the minister noted that through the scholarly writings of "Al-Islah", writers helped to awaken the nation, while the creativity fostered by the "Vaahaka Committee" encouraged a culture of reading among Maldivians. She said that writers have embedded civilised values and a sense of national identity in the minds of Dhivehi children. She added that every writer has fulfilled the trust and responsibility embodied in the call to be “a trustworthy writer”.
The minister also expressed her hope for the continued growth of Dhivehi literature and called for further efforts to promote reading in the Dhivehi language.
National Writers’ Day is observed in recognition of the important role writers play in safeguarding public morals and advancing the progress of the nation. It also serves to honour their contributions to the development of the Dhivehi language and literature and to encourage the emergence of new writers. Writing remains one of the most important means of preserving a language and fostering enlightenment within society.
Through writing, traditions, culture and the values of national identity are passed from one generation to the next.