President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced plans to designate 2026 as the Year of National Innovation.
He made the announcement during an interview with state media, Public Service Media (PSM) during his second visit to the Maldives Expo 2025 last night. 
The President emphasized that the initiative would be pursued holistically, with input and collaboration from all relevant stakeholders.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu visits Maldives Expo 2025 on May 24, 2025. (Photo/President's Office)
He emphasized that promoting a creative economy is a key promise in his administration’s manifesto. He stated that the goal is for creative industries to contribute 15 percent of the national GDP, underscoring this commitment. He also cited the Expo as a reflection of this vision and reaffirmed the Government’s strong commitment to driving these initiatives forward.
He added that the government will offer platforms for creators to display their innovations and will promote digitalization nationwide to bolster the creative economy. He described this year’s Expo as a remarkable success.
President Muizzu also highlighted that the Expo was intended to celebrate and promote Maldivian creativity, innovation, entertainment, and entrepreneurship. He noted the positive public response to the event and described its return after a six-year break as an encouraging and progressive development.
In conclusion, the President reiterated the government’s dedication to supporting local artisans and shared his vision of achieving prosperity for all Maldivians and the nation as a whole.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu visits Maldives Expo 2025 on May 24, 2025. (Photo/President's Office)
The Maldives Expo 2025 was officially inaugurated on Friday and will proceed through the remainder of this month at Central Park, Hulhumalé, from 16:00pm to 18:00pm and 20:00pm to 23:00pm. 
The exhibition features 83 participants and over 3,000 exhibits, showcasing local creativity across 14 categories and 82 sub- subcategories. Participants represented islands from all atolls. Among all the participants, B. Thulhaadho submitted the most entries to the exhibition.
Participants were recognized during Maldives Expo 2025 Award Ceremony where the President presented awards to top scorers in various categories, including the Golden Prize awarded to the five highest-scoring exhibits at the Expo. A total of 275 awards were presented at the ceremony.