The measure of an individual or a group’s strength and ability is not the heights they have reached but how quickly they can get back up when they fall, Maldivian Democratic Party presidential candidate President Mohamed Nasheed has said.

Speaking at the national art gallery Tuesday night after opening an art exhibition titled “Dhefiyavalhu Fahathah” (Two Steps Backward) organised by Raajje TV, President Nasheed said that although the past two years caused anxiety and brought deep sorrow for many people, the work of artists, poets and musicians gave people courage and renewed determination.

The biggest encouragement for the struggle of the past two years came from the paintings, songs, poems and dances of Maldivian artists, President Nasheed said, which was made possible by the freedom of expression and assembly assured for Maldivian citizens by the constitution of 2008.

Referring to the theme of the art exhibition organised by Raajje TV to depict in paintings the country’s slide backwards since the coup d’etat on February 7, 2012, President Nasheed expressed confidence that the Maldivian people will make up for the two steps backward with “four rapid steps forward.” He added that the Maldivian people took a step back with wisdom and intelligence at a critical juncture.

“Our nation has always been saved by the courage, wisdom and intellect of our people,” President Nasheed said.

Declaring that the upcoming presidential election has become lopsided towards MDP because a majority of the public believe the country’s development cannot remain stalled and are not apathetic to a reversal of democratic gains, President Nasheed expressed gratitude to the talent displayed by artists during recent years and noted that encouraging the arts and providing the space for constructive dialogue was part of the MDP’s development philosophy.