Mohamed Nasheed
Encyclopedia
Mohamed Nasheed (born May 17, 1967) is a Maldivian politician. He is the current President
of the Maldives
. He is the founder of the Maldivian Democratic Party
and was its presidential candidate in the October 2008 presidential election, defeating long-time President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
in a second round of voting. He was sworn in as President on November 11, 2008.
He is a former member of Parliament for Malé
. He was an outspoken critic of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his policies. Due to his criticism of the government over the years, he was arrested and sentenced several times.
Mohamed Nasheed is a holder of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK)
.
Prisoner of Conscience
in 1991.
After being held in solitary confinement and reportedly tortured, he was accused of withholding information about a bombing plot. On April 8, 1992, he was sentenced to three years in prison on that charge. He was released in June 1993, then re-arrested in 1994 and 1995. In 1996 he was sentenced to two years imprisonment for an article he had written about the 1993 and 1994 Maldivian elections.
In 2000, he was elected as a member of the parliament representing the people of Malé
. Six months later, in 2001 he was tried and sentenced to two and half years banishment for the theft of unspecified government property from H. Velaanaage - the former residence of former president Ibrahim Nasir
. Though supporters of Nasheed believe that it was a fabricated charge against him motivated by political desires, former attorney general Dr Munavvar claimewd what was stolen was the main door key and other keys of Velaanaage building and later using the keys he had taken some old documents from the building in which there was some details of the illegally taken government funds by former president Nasir. Nasheed himself agreed he acquired the said documents. However he didn't reveal how he got the documents. This was later proved to be so, when Dhivehiobserver (of Ahmed Shafeeq Ibrahim Moosa
) published a leaked letter, sent by then Minister of Construction and Public Works Umar Zahir to the former Minister of Defence (later the High Commissioner to Delhi
) Anbaree Abdul Sattar. The letter, dated on October 31, 2001, was published on the website on October 10, 2005. According to this letter, Nasheed did take some files from the residence which were about to be destroyed as they were of no value to the government. According to Umar Zahir there was no restricted area for the public in the residence. In his letter Umar Zahir stated "Later that day I did check the storage place from which Mohamed Nasheed apparently took that material. Those things have now been burned by Mohamed Nasheed."
to help establish the Maldivian Democratic Party
(MDP), in exile, in Sri Lanka
and the UK. He was recognized as a political refugee by the British government in 2004. After about 18 months in self-proclaimed exile, Nasheed returned to Malé on April 30, 2005.
After returning to the Maldives he began promoting the MDP before it was officially recognized by the Government. With the decision to allow political parties in the Maldives, on June 2, 2005 and the official recognition of the MDP's existence, Nasheed accelerated his support campaigns for the party. He made several trips to the Atolls
, and neighbouring countries on behalf of the party.
On August 12, 2005, Nasheed was arrested again when he was sitting in the center of the Republican Square, with supporters of MDP, to mark the second anniversary of the Black Friday
. His arrest provoked civil unrest
in Malé and some other Atolls. After his arrest, acting Government Spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef told reporters that Nasheed had been detained for "his own safety." However, on August 22, 2005, the state announced that Nasheed was to be charged with terrorism under the Terrorism Act. He then ran for election in 2008 and won.
as the Vice Presidential Candidate in the October 2008 presidential election; this was the first time the country had held a multiparty presidential election by popular vote. In the first round, Nasheed and Dr. Waheed placed second with 44,293 votes (24.91%), placing second behind President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the governing Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), who received 71,731 votes (40.34%). In the second round, Nasheed and Dr. Waheed were backed by the unsuccessful first round candidates and won 54.25% of the vote against 45.75% for Gayoom.
Following the election, Nasheed and Dr. Waheed were sworn in as the President and Vice President of the Maldives on November 11, 2008 in a special session of the People's Majlis
at Dharubaaruge.At Dharubaaruge at his First speech as President he said he will hold a mid term presidential election but after a month as a president his tone was changed and said it was a philosophy not for real and because of this the Ithihaad who joined Nasheed after the first round of election are trying to bring his government down. Nasheed has been criticized for not being able to fulfill many of his numerous pre-election promises.
, in March 2009, President Nasheed pledged to set an example by making the Maldives carbon-neutral within a decade by moving to wind
and solar power
. He argued that the cost of the change would be no higher than what the Maldives already spends on energy. As part of a wider campaign by international environmental NGO 350.org
's campaign publicizing the threats of climate change and its effects on the Maldives, Nasheed presided over the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting on Oct. 17, 2009, off the island of Girifushi with the meeting participants underwater in Scuba diving gear
.. Nasheed presided over the foundation of the Climate Vulnerable Forum
.
On 29 June, Maldives Police Service arrested two parliamentarians, Abdulla Yameen, leader of the People’s Alliance party and former President Gayoom’s half brother, and Gasim Ibrahim, head of the Jumhooree Party, on suspicion of bribing fellow parliamentarians to vote against the government. The police are investigating the two MPs for corruption, along with a third MP, Mohamed Mustapha, of the ruling MDP.
On 7 July, President Nasheed reappointed all thirteen Ministers of the Cabinet, at a ceremony held at the President’s Office in Male'.
Speaking at a press conference held shortly after presenting the Ministers with their letters of appointment, President Nasheed said his government would “work towards fulfilling its pledges to the people.”
The President noted that the government has investigated the reasons why cabinet members felt they had to resign and the police have taken appropriate action. The President reiterated that only a small number of MPs are implicated in alleged corruption. “The reputation of the People’s Majlis should not be tarnished because of corruption allegations against a few parliamentarians,” the President said.
On November 22, the parliament voted and declared that only 5 out of the 12 appointees would be accepted. They also called for the rejected ministers to step down immediately. This resulted in heated arguments between ruling party MDP and opposing DRP
, who holds majority seats in parliament. The parliament ruled that the rejected appointees would not be considered as ministers, and refused to allow Finance minister, Ali Hashim present the 2011 state budget for parliament approval. Members of MDP responded to this by declaring that neither parliament or supreme court had rights to dismiss ministers and threatened high members of the parliament.
On December 10, 2010, the Supreme Court of Maldives ruled that the ministers not endorsed by the parliament cannot remain in their posts; and requested their immediate resignation from office.
On December 13, 2010, President Nasheed appointed 2 new ministers and acting ministers for 4 more offices. He also reappointed the rejected Attorney General
, Dr. Sawad.
Resort and Underwater Spa, Maldives in recognition of his active participation in cultivating coral in the resort’s nursery as well as for his efforts in creating greater awareness on the impact of climate change
in the Maldives.
In June 2009, the Anna Lindh Memorial Fund
awarded Nasheed, the 2009 Anna Lindh Award for the instrumental role he played in bringing democracy to the Maldives and in recognition of his efforts on the world stage to highlight the dangers of climate change
by bringing people and their human rights
at the heart of the debate.
In the September of 2009, at the global premier of the "Age of Stupid" Nasheed was presented with a "Not Stupid" Award for his efforts to tackle climate change
and for the Maldives' announcement to become the first carbon neutral
country in the world. In the same month, Time magazine
named Nasheed #1 in the "Leaders & Visionaries" category within its annual list of "Heroes of the Environment (2009)
".
On the Earth Day
of 2010, Nasheed was awarded the Champions of the Earth
Award
, the United Nations
’ most prestigious environmental prize at a gala event in Seoul
, Republic of Korea which was in conjunction with the B4E Business for the Environment Global Summit
. The summit was attended by more than 1,000 representatives from business, government, and civil society. According to a press release by the United Nations Environment Programme
, UNEP the award was in recognition of Nasheed, being "an articulate voice for the vulnerable and the poor facing the challenges of global warming and also a politician who is showcasing to the rest of the world how a transition to climate neutrality can be achieved and how all nations, no matter how big or how small, can contribute".
In August 2010, Newsweek named President Nasheed in its list of ‘world's ten best leaders’ he was also referred to as a hero among environmentalists.
In 2010, he was named by Foreign Policy magazine to its list of top global thinkers.
In march 2011 ,following his official visit to the Republic of Mauritius ,he was decorated by president Jugnauth
and was awarded the highest distinct order of merit in the country . He was elevated to the rank of Grand Commander of the star & key of the Indian ocean
(GCSK) during the official lunch offered by the president at the Château of Réduit
.
A documentary about Nasheed's efforts to halt climate change, The Island President
was filmed throughout 2009 and 2010, and will appear at film festivals in 2011. It was produced by Actual Films.
In a 2011 interview with The Guardian
, British Prime Minister David Cameron
described Nasheed as 'my new best friend' and said that he, Bill Clinton
, Barack Obama
, Nicholas Sarkozy and John Key
would be the five world leaders Cameron would invite on his stag weekend.
President of the Maldives
The President of the Maldives is the Head of State and Head of Government and first citizen of the Republic of Maldives and the Supreme Commander of the Maldivian armed forces.The current President of the Republic of Maldives is Mohamed Nasheed....
of the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
. He is the founder of the Maldivian Democratic Party
Maldivian Democratic Party
The Maldivian Democratic Party is the ruling political party in power of the Maldives. It is a liberal party with its stated goal being the promotion of human rights and democracy in the Maldives. This party won the first ever multi-party elections in the Maldives...
and was its presidential candidate in the October 2008 presidential election, defeating long-time President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was President of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008. After serving as Minister of Transport, he was nominated as President by the Majlis of the Maldives and succeeded Ibrahim Nasir on November 11, 1978. He eventually became the longest-ruling head of government in Asia...
in a second round of voting. He was sworn in as President on November 11, 2008.
He is a former member of Parliament for Malé
Malé
Malé , is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll . It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where...
. He was an outspoken critic of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and his policies. Due to his criticism of the government over the years, he was arrested and sentenced several times.
Mohamed Nasheed is a holder of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK)
Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean
The Most Distinguished Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean is the highest distinct order of merit in Mauritius. It was founded in 1992 to decorate people who have made a contribution to social progress in the nations of the Indian Ocean. It may be awarded to non-Mauritian...
.
1990–2003
Nasheed was held in prison for an article in the political magazine Sangu, published in 1990, in which he alleged the Maldivian government had rigged the 1989 general election. Because of his imprisonment, he was made an Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
Prisoner of Conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
in 1991.
After being held in solitary confinement and reportedly tortured, he was accused of withholding information about a bombing plot. On April 8, 1992, he was sentenced to three years in prison on that charge. He was released in June 1993, then re-arrested in 1994 and 1995. In 1996 he was sentenced to two years imprisonment for an article he had written about the 1993 and 1994 Maldivian elections.
In 2000, he was elected as a member of the parliament representing the people of Malé
Malé
Malé , is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll . It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where...
. Six months later, in 2001 he was tried and sentenced to two and half years banishment for the theft of unspecified government property from H. Velaanaage - the former residence of former president Ibrahim Nasir
Ibrahim Nasir
Ibrahim Nasir Rannabandeyri Kilegefan , KCMG, NGIV was a Maldivian politician who served as Prime Minister of the Maldives under Sultan Muhammad Fareed Didi from 1957 to 1968 and succeeded him to become the first President of the Second Republic from...
. Though supporters of Nasheed believe that it was a fabricated charge against him motivated by political desires, former attorney general Dr Munavvar claimewd what was stolen was the main door key and other keys of Velaanaage building and later using the keys he had taken some old documents from the building in which there was some details of the illegally taken government funds by former president Nasir. Nasheed himself agreed he acquired the said documents. However he didn't reveal how he got the documents. This was later proved to be so, when Dhivehiobserver (of Ahmed Shafeeq Ibrahim Moosa
Ahmed Shafeeq Ibrahim Moosa
Ahmed Shafeeq Ibrahim Moosa , commonly known as Ahmed Moosa or Sappé, is a senior member of the new democratic government of the Maldives, previously he was pro MDP member, when Gasim announced this candidacy for president, Moosa decided to support him, and in the second round hhe reverted to...
) published a leaked letter, sent by then Minister of Construction and Public Works Umar Zahir to the former Minister of Defence (later the High Commissioner to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
) Anbaree Abdul Sattar. The letter, dated on October 31, 2001, was published on the website on October 10, 2005. According to this letter, Nasheed did take some files from the residence which were about to be destroyed as they were of no value to the government. According to Umar Zahir there was no restricted area for the public in the residence. In his letter Umar Zahir stated "Later that day I did check the storage place from which Mohamed Nasheed apparently took that material. Those things have now been burned by Mohamed Nasheed."
Maldivian Democratic party
In November 2003, Nasheed left the Maldives and joined Mohamed LatheefMohamed Latheef
Mohamed Latheef is a Maldives politician, a former parliamentarian and a campaigner for human rights. He is a co-founder of the MDP , a political party...
to help establish the Maldivian Democratic Party
Maldivian Democratic Party
The Maldivian Democratic Party is the ruling political party in power of the Maldives. It is a liberal party with its stated goal being the promotion of human rights and democracy in the Maldives. This party won the first ever multi-party elections in the Maldives...
(MDP), in exile, in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and the UK. He was recognized as a political refugee by the British government in 2004. After about 18 months in self-proclaimed exile, Nasheed returned to Malé on April 30, 2005.
After returning to the Maldives he began promoting the MDP before it was officially recognized by the Government. With the decision to allow political parties in the Maldives, on June 2, 2005 and the official recognition of the MDP's existence, Nasheed accelerated his support campaigns for the party. He made several trips to the Atolls
Atolls of the Maldives
The Maldives are formed by a number of natural atolls plus atolls in the form of a few islands and isolated reefs today which form a pattern stretching from 7 degrees 10' North to 0 degrees 45' South....
, and neighbouring countries on behalf of the party.
On August 12, 2005, Nasheed was arrested again when he was sitting in the center of the Republican Square, with supporters of MDP, to mark the second anniversary of the Black Friday
Black Friday (Maldives)
Black Friday , Friday, August 13, 2004, was the crackdown by the Maldivian National Security Service — later Maldivian National Defence Force — on a peaceful protest in the capital city of Maldives, Malé. This unplanned and unorganized demonstration was the largest such protest in the...
. His arrest provoked civil unrest
2005 Maldives civil unrest
The 2005 Maldivian civil unrest refers to the civil unrest that broke out in Malé, Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll and Addu Atoll of the Maldives on August 12, 2005 which lead to events that supported the democratic reform of the country...
in Malé and some other Atolls. After his arrest, acting Government Spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef told reporters that Nasheed had been detained for "his own safety." However, on August 22, 2005, the state announced that Nasheed was to be charged with terrorism under the Terrorism Act. He then ran for election in 2008 and won.
2008 presidential election
Nasheed stood as the MDP Itthihaad's candidate together with Mohammed Waheed HassanMohammed Waheed Hassan
Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan is one of the leading political figures in The Republic of the Maldives and the current Vice President of Maldives, having been sworn into office on November 11, 2008 as the first ever elected Vice President...
as the Vice Presidential Candidate in the October 2008 presidential election; this was the first time the country had held a multiparty presidential election by popular vote. In the first round, Nasheed and Dr. Waheed placed second with 44,293 votes (24.91%), placing second behind President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the governing Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), who received 71,731 votes (40.34%). In the second round, Nasheed and Dr. Waheed were backed by the unsuccessful first round candidates and won 54.25% of the vote against 45.75% for Gayoom.
Following the election, Nasheed and Dr. Waheed were sworn in as the President and Vice President of the Maldives on November 11, 2008 in a special session of the People's Majlis
Majlis
' , is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting", used in the context of "council", to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups be it administrative, social or religious in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries...
at Dharubaaruge.At Dharubaaruge at his First speech as President he said he will hold a mid term presidential election but after a month as a president his tone was changed and said it was a philosophy not for real and because of this the Ithihaad who joined Nasheed after the first round of election are trying to bring his government down. Nasheed has been criticized for not being able to fulfill many of his numerous pre-election promises.
Policies
With regard to the threat posed to the very low-lying islands by changes in sea level caused by global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, in March 2009, President Nasheed pledged to set an example by making the Maldives carbon-neutral within a decade by moving to wind
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
and solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
. He argued that the cost of the change would be no higher than what the Maldives already spends on energy. As part of a wider campaign by international environmental NGO 350.org
350.org
350.org is an international environmental organization, headed by author Bill McKibben, with the goal of building a global grassroots movement to raise awareness of anthropogenic climate change, to confront climate change denial, and to cut emissions of one of the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide,...
's campaign publicizing the threats of climate change and its effects on the Maldives, Nasheed presided over the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting on Oct. 17, 2009, off the island of Girifushi with the meeting participants underwater in Scuba diving gear
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
.. Nasheed presided over the foundation of the Climate Vulnerable Forum
Climate Vulnerable Forum
The Climate Vulnerable Forum is a global partnership of countries disproportionately affected by the consequences of global warming as a result of heightened socio-economic and environmental vulnerabilities that actively seek a firm and urgent resolution to a current intensification of climate...
.
Cabinet
The new government of Mohamed Nasheed abolished the ministries of the previous regime, and created 14 new ministries.June 2010 En Masse Cabinet Resignation
On 29 June 2010, Nasheed's 13 cabinet ministers resigned en masse, protesting the behaviour of opposition MPs who they said were “hijacking” the powers of the executive and making it impossible for the cabinet Ministers to discharge their constitutional duties and deliver the government’s election manifesto. The ministers called on the President to investigate why certain MPs were blocking the government's work, citing allegations of corruption and bribery in parliament.On 29 June, Maldives Police Service arrested two parliamentarians, Abdulla Yameen, leader of the People’s Alliance party and former President Gayoom’s half brother, and Gasim Ibrahim, head of the Jumhooree Party, on suspicion of bribing fellow parliamentarians to vote against the government. The police are investigating the two MPs for corruption, along with a third MP, Mohamed Mustapha, of the ruling MDP.
On 7 July, President Nasheed reappointed all thirteen Ministers of the Cabinet, at a ceremony held at the President’s Office in Male'.
Speaking at a press conference held shortly after presenting the Ministers with their letters of appointment, President Nasheed said his government would “work towards fulfilling its pledges to the people.”
The President noted that the government has investigated the reasons why cabinet members felt they had to resign and the police have taken appropriate action. The President reiterated that only a small number of MPs are implicated in alleged corruption. “The reputation of the People’s Majlis should not be tarnished because of corruption allegations against a few parliamentarians,” the President said.
Parliament Rejection of Cabinet Members
After the reinstallation of the cabinet on July 7, the cabinet was sent to the parliament for endorsement.On November 22, the parliament voted and declared that only 5 out of the 12 appointees would be accepted. They also called for the rejected ministers to step down immediately. This resulted in heated arguments between ruling party MDP and opposing DRP
Maldivian Peoples Party
The Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party is a political party, of the Maldives. On June 2, 2005, the country's 50-member parliament voted unanimously to allow and operate political parties in Maldives. The DRP subsequently submitted its registration on July 21, 2005 and was registered to be the second...
, who holds majority seats in parliament. The parliament ruled that the rejected appointees would not be considered as ministers, and refused to allow Finance minister, Ali Hashim present the 2011 state budget for parliament approval. Members of MDP responded to this by declaring that neither parliament or supreme court had rights to dismiss ministers and threatened high members of the parliament.
On December 10, 2010, the Supreme Court of Maldives ruled that the ministers not endorsed by the parliament cannot remain in their posts; and requested their immediate resignation from office.
On December 13, 2010, President Nasheed appointed 2 new ministers and acting ministers for 4 more offices. He also reappointed the rejected Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
, Dr. Sawad.
Awards and honors
In May 2009, Nasheed was presented with Coral Cultivation Initiative Award by Huvafen FushiHuvafen Fushi
Huvafen Fushi is a private resort island in the North Malé atoll, Kaafu, Maldives Indian Ocean.Situated near the capital Malé and 30 minutes by speedboat from Malé International Airport, it opened in July 2004 and consists of a single island with 43 bungalows...
Resort and Underwater Spa, Maldives in recognition of his active participation in cultivating coral in the resort’s nursery as well as for his efforts in creating greater awareness on the impact of climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
in the Maldives.
In June 2009, the Anna Lindh Memorial Fund
Anna Lindh Memorial Fund
The Anna Lindh Memorial Fund is a memorial fund started to commemorate the Swedish politician Anna Lindh, who was assassinated in 2003...
awarded Nasheed, the 2009 Anna Lindh Award for the instrumental role he played in bringing democracy to the Maldives and in recognition of his efforts on the world stage to highlight the dangers of climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
by bringing people and their human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
at the heart of the debate.
In the September of 2009, at the global premier of the "Age of Stupid" Nasheed was presented with a "Not Stupid" Award for his efforts to tackle climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
and for the Maldives' announcement to become the first carbon neutral
Carbon neutral
Carbon neutrality, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset, or buying enough carbon credits to make up the difference...
country in the world. In the same month, Time magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
named Nasheed #1 in the "Leaders & Visionaries" category within its annual list of "Heroes of the Environment (2009)
Heroes of the Environment (2009)
Heroes of the Environment is a list published in Time Magazine. The third list was published in September 2009. The list contains 30 entries, individuals or groups that have contributed substantially to the preservation of environment, and is divided into four categories: Leaders & Visionaries,...
".
On the Earth Day
Earth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
of 2010, Nasheed was awarded the Champions of the Earth
Champions of the Earth
The United Nations Environment Programme established Champions of the Earth in 2004 as an annual awards programme to recognize outstanding environmental leaders at a policy level...
Award
Award
An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signifiedby trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins, or ribbons...
, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
’ most prestigious environmental prize at a gala event in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Republic of Korea which was in conjunction with the B4E Business for the Environment Global Summit
B4E Business for the Environment
The B4E Business for the Environment Summit is the leading international platform for dialogue and partnership solutions for the environment...
. The summit was attended by more than 1,000 representatives from business, government, and civil society. According to a press release by the United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
, UNEP the award was in recognition of Nasheed, being "an articulate voice for the vulnerable and the poor facing the challenges of global warming and also a politician who is showcasing to the rest of the world how a transition to climate neutrality can be achieved and how all nations, no matter how big or how small, can contribute".
In August 2010, Newsweek named President Nasheed in its list of ‘world's ten best leaders’ he was also referred to as a hero among environmentalists.
In 2010, he was named by Foreign Policy magazine to its list of top global thinkers.
In march 2011 ,following his official visit to the Republic of Mauritius ,he was decorated by president Jugnauth
Anerood Jugnauth
Sir Anerood Jugnauth , KCMG, QC, GCSK, PC, LLB, GOLH, GOP, ORS is the President of Mauritius and all its dependencies...
and was awarded the highest distinct order of merit in the country . He was elevated to the rank of Grand Commander of the star & key of the Indian ocean
Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean
The Most Distinguished Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean is the highest distinct order of merit in Mauritius. It was founded in 1992 to decorate people who have made a contribution to social progress in the nations of the Indian Ocean. It may be awarded to non-Mauritian...
(GCSK) during the official lunch offered by the president at the Château of Réduit
Château of Réduit
The State House or The Château of Réduit is the Official Residence of the President of Mauritius. It is found in Réduit, at the rear of the University of Mauritius and also at the end of Plaine Willhems district. It served as the residence for the former governors of Mauritius, but at present it is...
.
A documentary about Nasheed's efforts to halt climate change, The Island President
The Island President
A Hollywood-style documentary feature film about the Maldives and climate change will be premiered at an international film festival later this year....
was filmed throughout 2009 and 2010, and will appear at film festivals in 2011. It was produced by Actual Films.
In a 2011 interview with The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, British Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
described Nasheed as 'my new best friend' and said that he, Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, Nicholas Sarkozy and John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
would be the five world leaders Cameron would invite on his stag weekend.
World records
World's first underwater cabinet meeting was held by president Nasheed to highlight the danger faced by global warming and climate change.External links
- Official website of the President of the Maldives
- Presidend Nasheed's interview with OneClimate at COP15 in Copenhagen
- Free expression groups protest crackdown - IFEXInternational Freedom of Expression ExchangeThe International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....
- First day of Mohamed Nasheed's 2005 trial
- Maldivesculture.com article about Nasheed's 2001 arrest
- ZeeNews.com, Mohamed Nasheed: Profile