Five historic coral-stone mosques across the Maldives stand a strong prospect of securing official inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2027, the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage has revealed.
Speaking during the ninth episode of the public Ahaa Forum on Sunday evening, Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Heena Waleed confirmed that a multi-year national campaign to attain international recognition for the country's unique architectural heritage has entered its final evaluation phase.
Culmination of thirteen-year campaign
According to Minister Heena, the Maldives has actively pursued World Heritage status for its historic coral-stone religious architecture for more than 13 years. A formal nomination dossier presenting five exceptional surviving mosques was submitted to UNESCO headquarters in January, leading to a comprehensive field verification mission last month.
A technical delegation from UNESCO visited the Maldives in September, conducting architectural inspections, structural integrity evaluations, and consultations with atoll community leaders and cultural preservation agencies.
"Our hope is that, God willing, these exceptional heritage sites will be formally inscribed towards the end of 2027. International recognition will safeguard our unique masonry traditions, benefit island economies, and draw cultural travellers from around the globe," Minister Heena stated during the broadcast.
Preserving coral stone architecture
Maldivian coral-stone mosques represent a distinctive school of Islamic architecture developed between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, featuring interlocking coral block construction, intricate timber lacquer joinery, and finely carved calligraphic stonework without mortar.
The nominated sites represent centuries of indigenous maritime craftsmanship that developed in isolation across the archipelago. The ministry noted that securing World Heritage status will establish legally binding conservation frameworks and technical assistance partnerships to protect fragile coral stonework from sea-level rise and climatic weathering.
Alongside the heritage nomination, Minister Heena highlighted ongoing initiatives by the Dhivehi Language Academy to update the national dictionary, finalize a comprehensive grammar reference text by late 2027, and establish a dedicated linguistic research institute in Malé.
