Speaker of the Parliament, Abdul Raheem Abdulla has said that understanding what being a Maldivian means is crucial for growth as a community.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a new two-degree programme at Villa College, Speaker Abdul Raheem said that it is important for Maldivian students to know how Maldivians lives in the past, and the political journey that has led to the present day.

"We must be aware of our history so we can build a future. That is why political history is significant. As the same time, we need to understand what it means to be a Maldivian. We need to know where we are and how we got here," Speaker Abdul Raheem said.

He said that people can only become full-fledged Maldivians by knowing their history.