Six Senses Kanuhura Resort Signs as Title Sponsor of Lhaviyani Turtle Festival 2026
Six Senses Kanuhura resort signed as the title sponsor of the Lhaviyani Turtle Festival 2026 on World Ocean Day, 8 June, marking the third time the resort has partnered with the event in collaboration with the Atoll Marine Conservation Centre (AMC).
The signing ceremony took place at the resort and highlighted its continued commitment to marine conservation in Lhaviyani Atoll. According to the resort, the partnership reflects its long-term support for initiatives that protect sea turtles and marine ecosystems in the Maldives.
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Now in its eighth edition, the Lhaviyani Turtle Festival has grown into the Maldives’ largest community marine outreach programme outside Malé. Organised by local NGO Naifaru Juvenile and the Atoll Marine Conservation Centre, the two-day festival is scheduled to take place in September 2026.
The event brings together students, conservationists, government representatives, community members and marine enthusiasts from across the Maldives to raise awareness about sea turtle conservation and marine protection. In 2025, the festival attracted more than 3,000 participants, including 13 schools from seven atolls and over 20 organisations.
The Atoll Marine Conservation Centre, based on Naifaru Island, has rescued and rehabilitated injured sea turtles since 2012. The centre was established by Naifaru Juvenile in response to concerns about hatchlings being kept as pets on local islands. Since then, AMC has expanded its work to include rescuing adult turtles affected by ghost gear entanglement, coral restoration projects, community education and marine awareness programmes.
Six Senses Kanuhura’s support for AMC extends beyond sponsorship. The resort has contributed to the centre through the Six Senses Sustainability Fund since opening in Lhaviyani Atoll and currently hosts a dedicated sea turtle biologist on the property. According to the resort, this collaboration contributes to conservation and scientific research efforts in one of the Maldives’ most significant green sea turtle habitats.
As title sponsor, the resort will support the delivery of the 2026 festival and its community outreach activities.
“Our partnership with AMC comes straight from the heart, because we believe that a resort is only as strong as the community it belongs to. Signing as title sponsor for the third time on World Ocean Day feels like the perfect way to reaffirm that commitment. Seeing schools, businesses, resorts and local communities come together for this festival is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when we are all united by the ocean that connects us,” stated by Alicia Graham, General Manager of Six Senses Kanuhura.
Aideen McGinn, Marine Team Lead at the Atoll Marine Conservation Centre, said the resort’s continued support would help expand the centre’s conservation efforts.
“Six Senses Kanuhura has been a long-time supporter in our mission, and their continued commitment and support means we can reach more schools, more communities and ultimately rescue and rehabilitate more turtles. This is exactly the kind of partnership that gives conservation real roots,” she said.
Six Senses Kanuhura resort stated that supporting the festival aligns with its broader sustainability goals and its commitment to protecting the marine ecosystems surrounding the resort.
