32 | FOREVER Keele
INSPIRING ALUMNI PROFILES
Dr Farah Faizal
High Commissioner to the Maldives
Dr Farah Faizal came to Keele from the Maldives in 1986 to study International Relations , and shares her experience as an international student at Keele , as well as her inspiring journey bringing democratic change to her home country of the Maldives , and her work now as a proud female diplomat on the international stage .
Following the overthrow of the government in the Maldives in February 2012 , I resigned and served as the Spokesperson in Europe for the MDP for a time . I also represented the former President of the Maldives , Mohamed Nasheed at the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group during the CMAG ’ s enquiry into the change of government in the Maldives , as well as serving as a member of the Foreign Committee of the MDP . With the change of government in November 2018 , I was appointed the Maldives Ambassador to the UK and with the country re-joining the Commonwealth on 1st February 2020 , I was delighted to revert to being called a High Commissioner as ambassadors of Commonwealth countries are called , if posted to another member country .
My role includes building a close relationship with the UK , France , Spain and Ireland , including promoting the Maldives as a holiday destination for these countries , and also the sustainability of Maldives tuna , fishing being our second biggest industry . Of course , the Maldives is a frontline state when it comes to climate change , so my work also focuses a lot on issues related to climate advocacy .