Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has set a world record by holding a press conference that lasted nearly 15 hours. The marathon event began at 10 AM on Saturday and continued until shortly after midnight, lasting for 14 hours and 54 minutes. During this time, he answered a wide range of questions from journalists and also took short breaks for prayers.
This event broke the previous record set by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2019, who held a 14-hour press conference.
According to AFP, the press conference was organized to mark World Press Freedom Day. President Muizzu emphasized the importance of a free and balanced media, highlighting its critical role in society. In addition to journalists, he also responded to questions submitted by the general public.
Around two dozen journalists attended the session, with food arrangements provided for them.
President Muizzu assumed office in 2023. Under his leadership, Maldives has seen improvement in its press freedom ranking. In the 2025 Reporters Without Borders index, Maldives ranked 104th out of 180 countries, two spots higher than the previous year.
This is not the first time Maldives has made headlines with a world record. In 2009, then-President Mohamed Nasheed held the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting to raise awareness about climate change threats facing the island nation.
Maldives remains one of the countries most vulnerable to rising sea levels caused by global climate change.