Lhaviyani Turtle Festival to Celebrate Youth, Conservation, and Cash-Prize Competitions

The Six Senses Kanuhura Lhaviyani Turtle Festival will return on Saturday, 6 September 2025, for a day of conservation-focused learning, creativity, and community engagement at Velaa Beach in Naifaru. While youth involvement remains a central theme, this year’s festival will also feature a wide range of public competitions offering cash prizes.

Organised in collaboration with the Atoll Marine Centre (AMC), the event aims to raise awareness about marine conservation through interactive activities and inclusive community initiatives.

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The festival grounds will host a diverse array of stalls presented by school groups, NGOs, local businesses, and organisations. Each stall will offer hands-on games, creative workshops, and educational displays designed to make environmental awareness fun and accessible for all ages. Attendees can also visit the Atoll Marine Centre, where they will meet injured turtles currently in rehabilitation and learn more about the human-driven threats affecting these endangered species.

Open Competitions for the Wider Community

Three competitions are open to the public, featuring cash prizes. They are: 

• Eco-Fashion Contests: Participants design clothing or accessories from recycled materials.
  
• Traditional Dance Competition: Open to individuals or groups of all ages, this event celebrates local heritage through performance.
  
• Underwater Photography Contest: Open to Maldivians and expatriates, this competition invites ocean lovers to submit up to three original underwater photos taken in 2025.
  
• Plastic Bottle Collection Challenge: Running from 24–31 August, teams of five will collect plastic bottles and create a short video with a waste awareness message for AMC’s social media platforms.

Those interested in participating can register through links available on Atoll Marine Centre’s social media pages (@atollmarinecentre).

Showcasing Student Talent and Sustainability

According to Atoll Marine Centre, a key focus of the festival is youth involvement. Students from 10 schools across Lhaviyani, Baa, Raa, Noonu, Alifu Alifu, Alifu Dhaalu, and Malé have already registered to take part, surpassing last year’s total, with more expected to join in the coming weeks.

Schools will compete in several categories, including the Best School Stall, where students design eye-catching displays using recycled materials to communicate conservation messages. Judges will assess each group on originality, design, and how well they explain their environmental theme.

Another highlight is the Waste Sculpture Competition, in which students craft marine animal sculptures from waste materials. Participants must present their work to a panel, explaining the species represented and the conservation message behind their design.

The Sand Sculpture Competition will see teams build realistic sea turtle models using sand and natural materials. Students will explain the features of their turtle and how it resembles one of the five species found in Maldivian waters: green, hawksbill, olive ridley, loggerhead, or leatherback.