Picturesque ‘Lonuziyaaraiy Park’ unveiled

The ‘Lonuziyaaraiy Park’ developed on the South East coast of the capital city Male' was inaugurated on Thursday.

State Dignitary and recipient of the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzudeen (a national award given to recognize and honour the long service provided to the government) Umar Zahir, inaugurated the park, which is considered the most picturesque garden in Male’.

President Ibrahim Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed attended the ceremony, along with Vice President Faisal Naseem, Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed, and Chief Justice Muthasim Adnan and cabinet ministers.

Speaking at the official inauguration ceremony, President Solih stated that since assuming office, this Government has focussed on securing a tranquil and genial living environment for residents of Malé City and that the newly-developed Lonuziyaaraiy Park is one such notable project.

The President also highlighted the benefits of integrating open, green spaces into urban living, especially in an area as congested as Malé City.

He urged the public to follow safety guidelines from relevant authorities and to take all necessary precautions against COVID-19 while visiting parks and other such public places. He further stated that, as a lot of people are suffering psychologically due to the pandemic, spending time outdoors in such a lush environment might be a therapeutic aid at such a critical time.

President Solih also affirmed that there is yet much work to be done towards achieving peaceful urban living for the residents of Malé City. He shed light on several plans in the pipeline to improve the city, including housing for Malé City residents - a key focus in the coming year.

Male’ City Council’s Mayor Shifa Mohamed stated that MVR 16.8 million from the state budget was spent on developing the park of three acres, adding that planting a garden in a concrete land is a challenging feat.

Noting that work was underway to train locals to handle the security and maintenance of the park, Shifa stated that the park would also introduce job prospects for the community.

The park is separated into sections, including ‘Medhu Bageecha’, ‘Varunulaa’ ‘Raalhugandu’, ‘Uss Bageecha’ and ‘Maamelaameli’.

According to Shifa, ‘Maamelaameli’ is decorated specially for wedding receptions and ceremonies.

Lonuziyaaraiy Park was developed by Malé City Council under President Solih's pledge to create a greener Malé cityscape. The park houses a variety of flowering and non-flowering plants, labelled with their scientific names, including a variety of endangered flora.