The Coral Festival 2023 Is To Be Held In Addu City This April

The Maldives Coral Institute (MCI) has announced that this year’s Coral Festival 2023 will take place at Hithadhoo in Addu City from 28^th-30^th April 2023. The festival is set to bring several key stakeholders under one platform including scientists, NGOs, politicians and environmentalists as well as members of the public. Together, they will honour and celebrate the delicate coral reefs and marine ecosystems in the Maldives and call for their protection.

Spanning three days, the festival will provide a floor for prominent Maldivian and International scientists and marine experts to engage in fruitful discussions and workshops about corals and the best practices to shield and protect them in the face of climate change. Apart from this, the festival will also be an upbeat experience for visitors with music, culture and art taking centre stage at the event too.

In addition to this, the Maldives Coral Festival will also provide a glimpse into the popular Southern cuisine of the Maldives with food stalls set up to enjoy the delicacies. Similarly, interactive stands dedicated to games and activities for children will be featured in the festival as well. The Festival will take place at the MNU campus in Hithadhoo with free entrance granted to any visitor.

Speaking about the Festival. Vice-Chairperson of MCI, Aya Naseem said: “We cannot hope to protect our coral reef ecosystems unless we understand and appreciate them. This is what this festival is all about, promoting a love and understanding of corals”. She further added that although scientific-themed workshops are featured in the festival, the majority of festival events will target the general public to ensure greater participation from all ages.

The first two days of the Festival will be hosted at the MNU Campus; however, the last and final day will unfold in the form of excursions. Avid explorers among visitors will have the one-of-a-kind opportunity to dive with manta rays, visit and snorkel off Addu’s UNESCO nature park and visit Hulhumeedhoo at its nature park during the day.

The first edition of the Coral Festival took place in early 2020, right before the pandemic. Returning back after a three-year hiatus, this year’s edition of the festival is held in conjunction with Maldives National University and promises to be an eye-opening and fun-filled experience for all.