Covalima, October 8, 2025
During the 2025 Border Festival, “Cultural Exchange to Strengthen Reconciliation”, Timorese from Timor-Leste and West Timor laid the “Stone of Fraternity” at the Monument of Setembro Negro (Black September). This act symbolized fraternity and reconciliation among the Timorese people. It was laid by Kamanasa traditional Leader (Lia-na’in), Anacleto Amaral, and the head of the Delegation from West Timor, Felisberto Amaral. The ceremony was attended by notable figures, such as Jorge Soares Cristovão, the Secretary of State for Arts and Culture; Hugo Maria Fernandes, the Executive Director of Centro Chega!; and Manuel Pereira, the President of Centro Chega!’s Board of Administration (BA), Members of BA, including Inocêncio de Jesus Xavier, Rev. Arlindo F. Marçal, and Aniceto Guru Berteni Neves, were also present, along with Miguel Armada Cardoso “Razaõ,” the President Authority of Covalima, and various delegations from NTT and Timor-Leste.
Once the stone was laid, flowers were scattered, and candles were lit. Father Jovito Rêgo de Jesus Araújo led a prayer asking the Almighty God to transform this stone into the foundational element for building a house of reconciliation—a place where we can live together as brothers and sisters. He prayed for God’s blessing upon the gathering, expressing gratitude for the positive models received and seeking the light of truth and guidance from the Spirit to stand firm in defense of truth, justice, and forgiveness, enabling collaborative efforts to develop the land.
“Lord, our God, You are a Rock to which we can find to stay behind when we are weak and feel worthless. You have built the church in this land,” Fr. Jovito prayed.
Anacleto Amaral stated that the laying of the “Stone of Fraternity” at the Setembro Negro Suai Monument in 1999 symbolized fraternity and reconciliation among the Timorese in West Timor and Timor-Leste. He emphasized that brotherhood is like a strong stone that cannot be broken. “We must be as strong as the stone,” he remarked. This stone represents friendship and fraternity, strengthening the reconciliation that our ancestors worked towards in the past.
“My advice to young people is that this stone represents our unity. We must respect our culture, which does not exist to destroy and separate us but rather to strengthen us. Young people should obey this principle and avoid creating problems,” said Li’a-nain of Kamanasa.
Felisberto Amaral, the head of the Timorese Delegation from NTT, expressed his delight at the “Stone of Fraternity” ceremony at the Setemro Negro Monument. He emphasized that it serves as a symbol of reconciliation, promoting peace, fraternity, and the preservation of our culture for future unity. “We must reinforce the reconciliation we have been pursuing as brothers and sisters. Although we had problems in the past, we are now together.”
Looking to the future, Felisberto expressed hope for improvement: “We will open our hearts to one another, sharing a common vision of fraternity, reconciliation, and valuing the culture we have built together.”
He also applauded the Border Festival organized by the Government of Timor-Leste through Centro Nacional Chega! I.P. and the Secretariat of State for Arts and Culture (SEAK), which commenced in 2023 in the capital of Maliana, focusing on collective memory. The 2024 Border Festival – Rwanda was invited to share experiences from its past, which are similar to ours. The 2024 Border Festival also resulted in the signing of the Ambeno Peace Declaration, which is significant. For the Border Festival 2025 in Covalima Municipality, “Each Lia-Na’in will share their experiences on how to address issues within their villages. For the future, we need to ensure our culture remains strong. By embracing our respective cultures, we can foster greater fraternity.”
