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The fishermen of the Maldives once referred to their Indian Ocean archipelago as the "land of emergence and submergence." The tidal currents that swirl within the country's atolls regularly shift whole beaches of sand from one side of a cove to another, swallowing and spitting out coral and rock. But by the end of this century, according to various scientific projections, the low-lying Maldives may slip below the waters entirely. The man hoping to turn the tide is Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed. Since coming to power last year in an election that ended a three-decade-long dictatorship, Nasheed, 42, has championed the fight against climate change. His tiny nation of fewer than 400,000 souls has become a symbol both of what's at stake, and what we can do to change it. Rising sea levels, the consequence of more than a century of industrial growth, may not be the Maldives' fault, but it is the Maldives' problem. What happens to these islands in the coming yea

Mr. President, Mr Secretary-General, Excellencies, and Distinguished Delegates: May I begin by extending to you, Mr President, my delegation’s warmest congratulations on your election to preside over the Sixty-fourth Session of the General Assembly. I assure you of the full support and cooperation of my delegation. May I also take this opportunity, to offer our most profound appreciation to your predecessor, His Excellency Mr Miguel Brockmann, for the exemplary manner in which he guided the work of the Sixty-third Session. Allow me also to offer my delegation’s heartfelt gratitude to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, for his inspiring leadership and dedication in promoting the noble principles and ideals of this Organisation. Mr President, This is the first statement to the General Assembly of a democratically-elected President of the Maldives. I am extremely pleased to be here. I have spent many of the past General Assembly sessions locked in a hot, humid, damp cell with my hands

Excellencies; distinguished delegates; colleagues; ladies and gentlemen: I am sorry to say that the Maldives has developed something of a habit. Once or twice a year we are invited to attend an important climate change event such as this one – often as a keynote speaker. The subject matter we are asked to cover is usually something along the lines of: “what are the challenges and threats that climate change poses to the Maldives and other Small Island States”? On cue, we stand here and tell you just how bad things are. We warn you that unless you act quickly and decisively, our homeland and others like it will disappear beneath the rising sea before the end of this century. We ask you, what will become of us? In response, the assembled leaders of the world stand up, one-by-one, and rail against the injustice of it all. “We are with you!” they say. “We must act now before it is too late!”, they say. But then, once the rhetoric has settled and the delegates had drifted away, the

بســم اللّـه الرّحمـن الرّحيــم السّـلام عليـكم މިއަދަކީ 18 ސެޕްޓެމްބަރ 2009ވީ ހުކުރު ދުވަސް. މިއަދު އަޅުގަނޑު ތިޔަބޭފުޅުންނާ މި ރޭޑިއޯގެ ޛަރީޢާއިން ބައްދަލުވާއިރު އެނގިވަޑައިގަންނަވާނެ، އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ ކުރިމަތީގައި މިއޮތީ އުފާވެރި ފިޠުރު ޢީދު ދުވަސް. އަޅުގަނޑު އެންމެހާ އެހުންތެރިންނަށް، ރައްޔިތުންނަށް އެދުވަހުގެ މުބާރިކްބާދީއާއި ހެޔޮދުޢާ ތަހުނިޔާތައް ރައްދުކުރަން އަޅުގަނޑު މީގެ ކުރީ ހުކުރު ދުވަހު، ތިޔަބޭފުޅުންނާ ބައްދަލުވިއިރު ފާހަގަކުރިން. އިރާދަކުރައްވައިގެން ކުރިއަށް މިއޮތް މަހެއް، ދޮޅުމަހެއް، ދެމަހެއްހާ ދުވަހުގެ ތެރޭގައި އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަށް ސަރުކާރަށް އެތަކެއް މަސައްކަތުގެ ޕްރޮގްރާމްތަކެއް، މިދަންނަވަނީ ބަނދަރާއި ނަރުދަމައާއި މިބާވަތުގެ ޢުމްރާނީ މަސައްކަތްތައް ހިންގުމުގެ މަޝްރޫޢުތަކެއް ފެށޭނެ ކޮޅުމަގު ސަރުކާރަށް ފެންނާނެއޭ. އިރާދަކުރެއްވިއްޔާ އަޅުގަނޑުމެންނަށް އެކަންކަމުގެ އިޢްލާނުތައް ކުރެވެމުންދާނެ އެނގިވަޑައިގަންނަވާނެ، އޭގެފަހުން މިދިޔަ ހަފްތާގެ ތެރޭގައި، ސަރުކާރުން އިޢްލާނު ކޮށްފައި މިވަނީ، 4 ރަށެއްގެ ނަރުދަމައާ ގުޅޭ މަޝްރޫޢުތަކެއްގެ ވާހަކަ. އޭގެ އެގްރީމަންޓްގައި ސޮއިކުރެވުނު ޚ