A Cleaner Coast for the Maldives
- Insha Didi
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
On the day of the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Campaign Pickup event, the Parley Maldives team, along with members of the Maldives Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Sport, set out from Malé on a 1.5-hour boat journey to the island of Vaavu Fulidhoo. It was scorching when we arrived, and we gathered with the Fulidhoo community including Fulidhoo Council members, Vaavu Atoll School students and staff, and representatives from the Commonwealth, to kick off the event.
Committee members took the microphone to speak about their heritage, the island’s rich culture, and the importance of shared responsibility for sustainability. This was followed by formal addresses delivered by Commonwealth delegates and Parley Maldives representatives. The speeches emphasized the symbolic journey of the baton, its role in connecting nations across the Commonwealth, and the resonance of Fulidhoo’s cultural traditions within this broader narrative.
The ceremony then moved on to the clean-up activity. We gathered under a palm tree for the safety briefing, where gloves and net bags were handed out to participants. A total of 45 people took part, working in groups across a 130-metre stretch of beach to collect cans, plastic bags, and candy wrappers. The waste was brought back to a central meeting point, where each net bag was weighed and logged. After about 30 minutes, we wrapped up with a total of 48.9 kg of waste collected. This included PET and other types of plastics, as well as debris such as metal cans and glass.
Following the clean-up, the Maldives Olympic Committee distributed fruit and drinks to the participants, and we took some time to rest and engage in conversation before dispersing for lunch. Before departing, we couldn’t resist a quick dip in the ocean, after which we hurriedly got ready and made our way back to the boat before its scheduled departure. We arrived back in Malé close to sunset, and the tired expressions on everyone’s faces provided a fitting end to a long, yet fulfilling day.
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
The Royal Commonwealth Society’s Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign will prevent one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways.
The campaign will combine education and local action to encourage people to reduce their plastic waste, highlight alternatives, and reduce pollution across the Commonwealth.
For the action component of the campaign, the Royal Commonwealth Society has partnered with Commonwealth Sport to deliver the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign as a core component of The King’s Baton Relay. This newly envisioned King’s Baton Relay will focus on sustainability and environmentalism and was launched by His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day 2025, beginning a 500-day journey to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July 2026.
Journeying through every Commonwealth nation and territory, this partnership will bring together young people, athletes, conservation groups, and the local community for a week of activities, including a plastic clean-up.
We want to thank Parley Maldives, National Olympic Committee Maldives and the Commonwealth Games for their contributions to cleaning up our Common Ocean.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Royal Commonwealth Society.
