18 August 2010: Newsweek magazine has fêted President Mohamed Nasheed as one of the “world’s ten best leaders.”

In this week’s edition of the magazine, President Nasheed is ranked 2nd in a list of “ten leaders [who] have managed to win serious respect.”

Newsweek lauds the President a “green guru” and a “hero among environmentalists” for his efforts to prod the world into action against climate change, which threatens the Maldives and other vulnerable nations.

“In the run-up to last year’s United Nations climate-change meeting, Nasheed attracted global attention by hosting a cabinet meeting underwater. In Copenhagen, he shamed rich governments by pledging to make the Maldives the world’s first carbon-neutral nation,” reads the Newsweek article.

“Al Gore likes to quote him on the human cost of climate change. And in April, the U.N. elected him one of six ’2010 Champions of the Earth,’” Newsweek continues.

The online version of the magazine includes a video of the President’s address to the United Nations General Assembly last year, in which he calls on fellow heads of state to drastically curb greenhouse gas emissions, which cause global warming.

Britain’s new Prime Minister, David Cameron, tops the list of best world leaders. Newsweek also names President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India, President Lula da Silva of Brazil and President Lee of South Korea in its roll of honour.

Newsweek, which sells over 1.5 million copies every week, is one of world’s most popular political magazines. In 2009, President Nasheed was named a “Hero of the Environment” by Time magazine, Newsweek’s main competitor.

To see the online version of the Newsweek article, visit the following link:http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/16/go-to-the-head-of-the-class.all.html

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Source: President’s Office – Press Release Ref. No. 2010-626