Timor-Leste’s president on Monday committed the State to work to improve the living conditions of the population of Ataúro island and, especially, to fight child malnutrition.
“The state and the government have commitment and commitment to combat malnutrition in Ataúro, to ensure that children eat enough to be able to study,” said José Ramos-Horta.
“This week the government will hold a Cabinet meeting here. It is a great opportunity to talk about the problems of Ataúro, but more than that to find a solution. There are some challenges, but Ataúro is now a municipality and has a budget to develop,” he said.
Ramos-Horta was speaking at a football field in Vila Maumeta, Ataúro’s capital, at the opening ceremony of the Ataúro Music and Culture Festival, which is being held on the small island north of Dili.
“Ataúro is a major tourist attraction pole, but we have to ensure that the people of Ataúro have better conditions, that the sea is preserved, that waste is avoided. Ataúro has to be an environmental model for the country”, he said.
Speaking on the same occasion, Domingos Soares, administrator of Ataúro municipality – which was officially born in January – welcomed all the guests from various countries and declared the “pride” of hosting the festival that runs until Thursday.
“It is the biggest event held in Ataúro. It is an opportunity to showcase our municipality that was born in January. We thank the State for the political will to move forward with the transformation of Ataúro into a municipality,” he recalled.
“This is an opportunity for us to work for the development of Ataúro island. We hope that it will improve our reality to consolidate Ataúro as a tourist destination, making Ataúro known to the world,” he said.
Azevedo Marçal, head of the prime minister’s staff and responsible for the organising committee of the festival highlighted the importance of the festival to help promote the identity, culture and tourism of the new Ataúro municipality.
“This festival also wants to help strengthen the artistic and cultural creativity of young people, make identity and culture known to new generations and show all the differences and variations of our identity, promoting the economy and tourism,” he said.
“At the same time it wants to strengthen national unity and promote peace and stability,” he explained.
Marçal said between 2,500 and 3,000 people are involved in the festival, including participants in the various activities and the four competitions and four contests, between sports and culture.
Speeches marked the formal part of the start of the Festival.
Before, one by one, the delegations from each of the 13 Timorese municipalities and the Special Administrative Region of Oecusse-Ambeno (SAROA), each led by an accredited ambassador in Dili, entered the venue.
One by one, wearing traditional costumes from each of the country’s regions, the diplomats then made a short presentation, in Tetum, to show some of the aspects of the municipalities.
Sounds, colours and traditional costumes from all parts of the country will be on stage at the main festival grounds over the next few days to present traditional music and dances.
The stage was set up in a football field by the sea, with a raised tribune, for VIPs, and side spaces for journalists, barely allowing the public to see the start of the festival that will feature concerts, music, painting and poetry contests, a book fair, BMX competitions, sea swimming competitions, a traditional boat race and an “adventure challenge”.
