In the Blue

The Maldives are universally celebrated as the epitome of a tropical paradise: a dream archipelago, home to ultra-luxurious resorts and pristine beaches. But this glossy image conceals a reality that is much richer, deeper, and more surprising.
This book takes the reader beyond the crystal-clear surface, revealing the Maldives as a crossroads of stories, exchanges, and knowledge, an ecological and cultural laboratory that is unique in the whole world. Through eighteen thematic chapters – from secret cartography to the value of shells as currency, from the biology of corals to the construction of the “nation brand” identity, from Maldivian vocabulary that has entered the global vernacular to the resilience of the atolls – a portrait is composed of an archipelago that has been, and continues to be, at the center of complex geopolitical, ecological, and cultural dynamics.
A scientific and informative account, rich in fascinating stories and critical reflections, which restores the Maldives’ historical, biological, and symbolic depth, transforming it from a simple tourist destination into an emblematic case for understanding the links between nature, culture, and the future of the planet.

Paolo Galli is Professor of Ecology at the Department of Environmental Sciences of the University of Milan-Bicocca and Visiting Professor at the University of Dubai. He is Founder and Director of the MaRHE Center (Marine Research and Higher Education Center) in the Maldives. At the University of Milan-Bicocca, he established the International Master’s Program in Marine Sciences for Sustainable Development and co-founded the Advanced Course in Marine Sciences. He also founded and currently directs the PhD program in Marine Sciences, Technology, and Management. Professor Galli is a scientific advisor for Bvlgari Hotels, with a particular focus on sustainability and the marine environment. He is the author of over 180 scientific publications and is actively involved in scientific dissemination, collaborating with several leading Italian newspapers and magazines, including Corriere della Sera.