Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has reportedly set a new benchmark for presidential press conferences by speaking with journalists for nearly 15 hours on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
According to AFP, the session began at 10:00 AM local time and concluded at 12:54 AM the following day, totaling 14 hours and 54 minutes.
This duration surpasses the previous record held by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who conducted a 14-hour press conference in October 2019.
The marathon event coincided with World Press Freedom Day and was intended to underscore the Maldives government’s commitment to transparency and the role of the press in society.
President Muizzu, who assumed office in 2023, addressed a wide array of questions from approximately two dozen journalists, covering topics submitted by both the media and the public.
Attendees were provided with meals during the extended session.
The Maldives has seen fluctuations in its press freedom rankings in recent years.
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the country was ranked 100th out of 180 in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index but dropped to 106th in 2024.
The 2025 ranking has not been published as of May 4, 2025.
This event is reminiscent of a previous Maldives initiative to draw global attention to pressing issues.
In 2009, then-President Mohamed Nasheed held the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting to highlight the threats of climate change and rising sea levels to the low-lying island nation.
While President Muizzu’s press conference has been recognized domestically as a record-breaking event, it has yet to receive official verification from international record-keeping organizations.