Study on Therapeutic Use of Maldivian Poetry Completed, Heritage Ministry Says

The Ministry of Language, Culture and Heritage has revealed that a study on the use of Maldivian poetry as a form of psychological treatment has been completed.

The Minister Adam Naseer Ibrahim said the government began exploring the potential therapeutic use of traditional Maldivian poetry last year. As part of the initiative, the term Lhen Faruvaa was formally adopted in May as the Dhivehi name for the concept.

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Progress on the initiative has been gradual, leading to public questions about the feasibility of using poetry as a treatment method. The minister said that a completed study by a deputy minister has now been submitted, while the Maldives National University is carrying out its own research on the subject.

Under an agreement between the ministry and the university, researchers are examining how Maldivian poetry could be applied in the treatment of different mental health conditions and which methods may be most effective.

The ministry has also consulted professionals and institutions in the field, including experts from the Society for Health Education, the Mental Health Centre, the Child Development Centre and Dhamanaveshi.