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The exhibition walks you through different cornerstones of UNDP’s partnership with the Maldives, from the opening of UNDP’s office in 1978 to provide essential aid when the Maldives was an isolated country struggling with poverty and malnutrition to moving on to address other critical crises and challenges, including the 2004 Tsunami and the more recent COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Dhivehi Dhathuru’ invites visitors to engage directly with thoughtfully curated features, each telling a story of the agency's role as a trusted partner of the Maldives development journey - a partnership that shaped Maldives’ progress over the past four decades. With 10 installations, the exhibition is enhanced by touchscreen models and interactive displays, blending physical interaction with educational insights. Among the highlights is a small physical model of the "Sul-ha" motorboat, one of the UNDP's first initiatives, which reached 22 remote atolls to address resource scarcity and limited access to education.

As the nation moved forward, the UNDP worked in unison with the status quo by assisting the Maldives’ journey to becoming more digitalised by providing the necessary technology and expertise in the 1980s and, over time, by advancing reforms that materialised as the country's first free elections in 2008. The installations throughout the exhibition move in sync with these progressions, offering a dynamic and immersive experience.

When asked about the future, UNDP representatives shared that their current focus is on three key development drivers to accelerate progress: Sustainable Financing, Climate-Nature Action, and Digital Transformation. For Small Island Developing States like the Maldives, multilateralism remains a guiding principle for progress and in many ways, the exhibition served as a testament to the UNDP's commitment to fostering success in the country.

‘Dhivehi Dhathuru’ is currently being showcased in the National Art Gallery until December 6th, inviting visitors to experience the timeline of their partnership through the lens of the UNDP.