Maldives Marks International Day of Women in Diplomacy with Dialogue Event
A panel discussion features senior female diplomats from China, India, and UNDP, moderated by the Senior Under Secretary. | Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an “Interactive Dialogue: Celebrating Women Diplomats” today at the Maldives National University to mark this year’s International Day of Women in Diplomacy (IDWID).
The event was graced by a keynote address from Aneesa Ahmed, ODRI – the first female diplomat to represent the Maldives at the UN General Assembly and a staunch advocate for women’s rights. In her remarks, she reflected on her personal experiences, pinpointing challenges and capturing opportunities. Noting that the path forward is clear and calling for change, she shared a message of hope for the current and future women diplomats.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds an Interactive Dialogue to commemorate International Day of Women in Diplomacy
📃 Press Release | https://t.co/pv81mIvpj9 pic.twitter.com/0d16QXotfc— Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇲🇻 (@MoFAmv) June 25, 2025
Following the keynote address, a panel comprising He Fen, Minister Counsellor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the Maldives, Kiran Khathri, Counsellor, High Commission of the Republic of India to the Maldives, and Pek Chuan, Deputy Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Programme for the Maldives engaged in an in-depth discussion, highlighting how institutions can better support mentorship and career growth for women, the professional and personal challenges facing women in the field, and the changes needed for guaranteed equal, full, and meaningful participation of women. This panel was moderated by Hassan Hussain Shihab, Senior Under Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The event also heard from Nausheen Naif Saleem, the youngest female diplomat in the Maldives Foreign Service. It concluded with remarks from Mariyam Midhfa Naeem, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In addition to the Ministry staff, the event counted the participation of the diplomatic community, representatives of Ministries, and students from Ahmadhiyya International School.
The IDWID is celebrated every year on 24 June. The Maldives was the penholder of the resolution A/RES/76/269 adopted at the UN General Assembly on 20 June 2022, with a historic record of 191 co-sponsoring Member States, proclaiming the day.
