Opening of ‘Unveiling Visions 2021’ & Launching of Virtual Art Gallery

His Excellency President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed. Minister of Arts, Culture & Heritage, Yumna Maumoon. Cabinet Ministers, distinguished invitees, and the Maldivian Artists’ Community.  

Good evening and assalam’alaikum!

Thank you to everyone for joining us today, for the opening of the ‘Unveiling Visions 2021’ Exhibition. It is an absolute pleasure to witness the different forms of artistic skill and talent exhibited by the many Maldivian artists.The UN Maldives is happy to have supported the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage in the development of the National Art Gallery website, which aims to serve as a ‘Virtual Art Gallery’ for exhibitions and feature artists.

We are happy to initiate the platform by displaying this special exhibition featuring over 70 artists. We hope that the Virtual Art Gallery, will help artists to expand their audience, and provide them with the opportunity and tools to strengthen the arts and culture sector by connecting people across the Maldives and beyond, through their creative products.

The devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic hit the arts and culture sectors hard, with the closing of museums and art galleries, cancelling of concerts and live performances, plunging many individuals and organizations working in the sector into financial crisis.

Today, we pay tribute to the resilience and solidarity shown by the creative community amid the difficult socioeconomic consequences. Artists played a key role in the response, by finding innovative ways to encourage people to comply with public health measures. They further proved crucial in soothing and inspiring people across the world during long periods of isolation caused by lockdowns and other restrictive measures taken to control the spread of the virus.

While we still have a lot more work to be done in terms of supporting artists to reach their full potential, we hope that the ‘Virtual Art Gallery’ is a step forward in building resilience of the Maldivian artists’ community in light of future global crises.

I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm the UN’s commitment in promoting and sustaining the creative sectors. With the influence and value artists and other talents can add to our efforts in the economic, social, and environmental sectors, it is important for all actors to work together to support professionals and organizations, and further increase accessibility to art for all, across all 20 atolls and beyond.

I am excited to see the hard work of all of you who are participating in this Exhibition. I am looking for my own piece of Maldives to take with me in my future travels, so I will also be paying closely to the talents of everyone exhibiting today! 

Before I conclude, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to President Solih and First Lady Fazna, for being here to witness the initiation of ‘Unveiling Visions’ along with the ‘Virtual Art Gallery’.

I would also like to thank Minister Yumna, and the team at the National Centre for the Arts for their support and partnership in developing the platform.

The UN in Maldives looks forward to more joint efforts to strengthen and diversify the creative sectors. Only together, can we enhance the space and opportunities available for artists and build back better from the impacts of COVID-19.

Thank you!