General Manager Renato De Oliveira, directors, and senior officials from Marriot International.
It is so good to be with you today this morning. First of all wish you a very good morning, I was not expecting today, but we are lucky to have the sun over our head.
First of all, it is my great pleasure to be with all of you today. I know that Marriott International having more than a thousand properties all around the world, over hundreds of thousands of employees, bringing an impact to the communities. You have many programmes, I know. You have your social protection and your social responsibility programmes all around the world trying to empower communities.
You know that the world leaders years back have agreed, we all have agreed to bring major changes; improve the living standards of the people all around the world. We have a goal that we all want to reach by 2030; the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for most. We all agree to end all forms of poverty, and we also, we all agree to fight inequalities. And we also agree to provide more job opportunities and on top of everything today in this world we all agree to protect our planet which is the most important.
Looking at the Maldives, so many islands and I do not have to explain to you today, I am sure that all of you know how the Maldives is. Doing a programme, conducting a programme like this, or helping just one single person in an island we are improving, we are empowering a family or community. This is what we need today.
There are so many challenges in the whole world. We all need to work together, to improve the lives of everyone. There are so many things, and these things can only be achieved by many hands. We need to work hand by hand. We need to give whatever support and assistance that we can give. I know that you are playing a major role in the islands. I know that you are helping the communities, I know that you are also helping the schools and also other important areas.
I have been participating in some programmes that were undertaken by Marriott International. One programme was your apprenticeship programmes training. Something that we need to do. We still need to improve further. Strengthen these programmes to give more opportunities to the locals, and also bring them up. We have 94,000 students in our two hundred and around 20 schools all around the Maldives who are just waiting for the support and assistance from all across. I am sure this will be a good example for everyone and we also like to see more programmes like this happening all across the country doing everything we can.
You know that a country can only prosper with the support of everyone. It is not just an administration. It is not just only the government that has to do everything in a country. That is also the public and the private sector, plus everyone, all the people. So it is our responsibility, it is your responsibility. Where ever you work, where ever you live, please see that it is also your home. So today this is a home for more than hundreds of thousands of people. We are welcoming so many people across the Maldives. The warm hospitality that is provided, that is given by our staff that is a real success of the Maldives.
And I also would like to thank the whole employees, and the industry leaders of this country for the unwavering support and commitment to promoting the country and also maintaining the high standard of hospitality services all across. Please do your part. Environment is very important. I am not going to explain all of this. I am sure that you have done so many, so much of programmes underwater and overwater, lot of things. So I am sure that you will keep going on.
It is so good to be here with all of you. I have also worked in the resorts when I was young, not too old. And I know how important it is, the role that is played in the industry for the betterment, for the progress of this country.
Good to be with all of you. We welcome everyone to the Maldives.
Thank you so much for this opportunity. Good luck to all the Marriott properties and all the staff and everyone working across the country.
Thank you very much.