Minister Of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Asim speaks at the Opening Ceremony of the First International Conference held by Maldives National University, Theveli 2017

Speaking as the Chief Guest at the Opening Ceremony of the First International Conference held by Maldives National University, Theveli 2017, Minister Asim noted that the progress the Maldives has made in its development path, and the ways in which the Maldives has been able to achieve internationally agreed development goals, were important areas where research is needed. These findings, he said, would yield important lessons for the world, as well as information on potential challenges that still exist in the Maldives.

Looking at the international context, Minister Asim also noted that small island states like the Maldives are understudied. Yet the unique approaches adopted by these islands to ensure sustainability and pursue sustainable development can be useful to replicate. In this regard, he said that island states could act as knowledge hubs, and incubators for innovation. He stated that small island states can, and have produced smart, shared solutions for the global problems facing the world today.

Minister Asim also highlighted the importance of inter-disciplinary research stating, “looking at a single issue, through multiple lenses, not only helps to understand the global challenges we face today, in a much better light, but also helps to curate better, well rounded, and sustainable solutions.”

Theveli 2017 is an International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research being held in the Maldives from 2-3 October 2017. The theme for this year’s Conference is “Towards a sustainable society”. Conference participants come from a number of countries in the region and beyond, and will also host a national research priority setting exercise on the margins.