East Timorese Benjamim Corte-Real took office on Wednesday as the president of the General Assembly of the International Institute of the Portuguese Language (IILP), announced the institution of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), which is headquartered in Cape Verde.
In a speech delivered during the ceremony and cited in a statement released on the IILP website, Benjamim Corte-Real reaffirmed East Timor’s commitment to the promotion and appreciation of the Portuguese language within the multilateral context of the CPLP.
The linguist also highlighted the importance of the joint work of the member states for the strengthening of the IILP and for the international projection of the Portuguese language.
Benjamim Corte-Real replaces Abigail Tiny Cosme in the position.
Read more: CPLP: East Timor will assume next presidency
His appointment occurred during the first General Assembly of the IILP, a new operational organ of the institution created under the revision of the Statutes, which reinforces the mechanisms for monitoring, strategic orientation, and participation of CPLP member states in defining priorities.
Benjamim Corte-Real, who holds a doctorate in linguistics from Macquarie University (Australia), was the director of the National Institute of Linguistics in East Timor and rector of the National University of East Timor, where he remains as a professor.
