Former President and the current speaker of the Parliament, Mohamed Nasheed has described Maldivians as those who would sacrifice themselves to maintain the freedom of the country.

In a tweet today, he said that the people of Maldives have always loved freedom. He said the people of Maldives have sacrificed to achieve freedom and are sacrificing to maintain that freedom.

Nasheed also said that the people will not give up on upholding freedom. He then extended felicitations to the people of the Maldives on the occasion of Independence Day.

Today marks the 57th anniversary of the Maldives' independence. A special flag raising ceremony was held on all the inhabited islands on the occasion.