A child donates cash during the children’s evening held on March 18, 2011 as part of the activities being held to show the Maldives’ solidarity with the people of Japan. HAVEERU PHOTO/ NASRULLA SOLIH
The Maldives kicked off the events and activities planned to help the Japanese people, with a 24-hour telethon themed “Maldivians with Japan” that began this morning at 10.46.
A children’s evening as well as a “silent march” were held this afternoon and is preparing to begin a special charity show, which would go on until tomorrow morning, in Henveiru. Vice President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, members of the parliament and students participated in the “silent march”.
“The march, which showed that the Maldivians are with the people of the Japan and share their pain, went quite well,” Amin Ibrahim, from the telethon organising committee, said.
Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, in his weekly radio address aired this morning, also urged all Maldivians to participate in these events to show their solidarity with Japan, underscoring Japan’s continuous assistance and support for the development of the Maldives.
President Nasheed also discussed the events lead by Male City Council to show Maldivians’ solidarity with the people of Japan following the widespread loss of life and huge devastation caused by earthquake and consequent tsunami that hit Japan.
Amin further said “food tents” have been put up in Henveiru by premier restaurants in capital Male – half of the profit from the tents will be donated to the people of Japan.
“The arrangements at these stalls are very different,” he said.
“Different stalls would offer different items. For instance, only pasta will be available from the pasta stalls and only ‘Musamma Curry’ will be available from the stalls specific to it.”
Arrangements have been made through telecommunication service providers, Dhiraagu and Wataniya to donate Rf20 via an SMS. A link on the website of Bank of Maldives (BML) also allows people to donate via their cash cards.
