Dili – (18 June 2024) The new President of the Council Administration of Centro Nacional Chega! I.P, Manuel Mesquita Pereira, in his inaugural speech, stated that the 7-year existence of Centro Chega! in Timor-Leste has demonstrated extraordinary results. This matter was spoken at the Room of the Vice Minister of Parliamentary Affairs (VMAP), Government Palace, Dili, Timor-Lest on 18 June 2024.

The ceremony was sworn-in by the Vice Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Aderito Hugo da Costa, accompanied by the Secretariat of State for Communication and Social, Expedito Dias Ximenes, participated by Agostinho Letêncio de Deus, President of Public Service Commission, and Hugo Maria Fernandes, Executive Director of Centro Chega! and other entities.

The inaugurated 5 members of the Council Administration structure consisted of President Manuel Mesquita Pereira and four members: Aniceto Guru Berteni Neves, Inocêncio de Jesus Xavier, Reverend Arlindo Francisco Marçal, and Father Jovito do Rego de Jesus Araújo. They have a three-year mandate (2024 – 2026). The new Council of Administration is replacing the former members as their three-year mandate (2022-2024) has ended, including Alzira Siqueira Freitas (Former President) and Sisto dos Santos (deceased).

During the inaugural, the former president of the Council Administration, Alzira Sequeira Freitas, handed over the report to the new president, Manuel Mesquita Pereira, for the continuity of the mandate. Additionally, Manuel Mesquita Pereira, in his remarks, emphasized the importance of Centro Chega! as a public institution established by Decree-Law No.48/2016 and having tutelage under the Prime Minister directly. However, according to organic law no. 46/2023, IX Government constitutional, CNC I.P is under the tutelage of the President of the Council of Ministers.

The vision of Centro Nacional Chega!I.P, is “The inclusive societies, history of the past to be unrepeated, living peacefully, and respecting human rights” and its mission, is “establishing post-conflict centers, preserving the memories of the past, promoting the values of human rights, creating national and international partners, strengthening the working network to implement the relevant recommendation made in the final Report of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR)-Chega!, and Truth and Friendship Commission (TFC) – Per Memoriam Ad Spem.”

Thus, he informed “The principal objective of the existence of CNC I.P is for the safeguarding of memory, history, and future hopes from this land. From 2017, CNC I.P carried out its operationalization along with a strong team among Council Administration, Executive Director, Unique Fiscal, and International Advisory Councils who actively provided strategic inputs for its existence.”

“CNC I.P is a public institute involved in significant works in Timor-Leste as the center of excellence for promoting the recommendations of Chega!, institutionalizing the memories, promoting human rights including both CAVR and CTF recommendations related to national center development for the memory, research, and learning,” the President explained.

Since 2018, in terms of policy and programs, CNC I.P has focused on a program based on the 2017 strategic plan reviewed in the 2021 strategic plan. Currently, it is under adjustment for the strategic plan between 2025-2030.

“I assume alongside the presence of the new Council Administration, it is needed to pay attention and contribute actively to the referred readjustments. The principal programs of CNC I.P, such as training and memorialization, reparative works, external relations, policy planning, management, and heritage financial, have shown good progress,” the new President thanked for the progress.

We need to explore and empower these potentials for the future. In this context, all parties’ contributions are needed, particularly the Council of Administration. I observed a greater willingness to keep exploring and deepening these potentials within the CNC I.P by using new approaches in reinforcing its roles and mission in Timor-Leste.

We need an innovative approximation only. It is an added value to the good progress that has been made. CNC I.P needs to approximate more in the fields and get close to local communities with various means in Timor-Leste. CNC I.P has to be proactive to carry out its work in realizing the principal agendas benefitted Timor-Leste and its people through the inspiration of the people from overseas.

Furthermore, CNC I.P has to adapt to today’s realities and demands, particularly the technological disruptions that come with unique challenges, especially related to youngsters. During its existence, CNC I.P has shown good cooperation with partners as a crucial element for 7 years (2017-2024).

We are the testimony to the efforts of CNC I.P to build the lobby of various cooperation between the institutions within the country and overseas so far. He cited, the information of the Executive Director, CNC I.P has cooperated with Ministries, Universities, the Political Conflict Victims Association 1974-1999 (PCVA), an international organization such as the German Federal Government, the Korean Government between KOICA, the French government, and the foundations.

“No doubt with these achievements. It is an extraordinary achievement for 7 years of CNC I.P – it is not easy. However, it is important to identify the priority and its direct benefits from these cooperations to interests of Timor-Leste,” he thanked for the progress of work.

The featuring of training and learning on the values of our history related to our youngsters, how to find the ways to make them a specific target for all the programs, and how to raise their will to involve them in the research process regarding the noble worth from the past that was full of tragedies.

The great success for the future criteria of CNC I.P is “We can only see, how our young people, express our history fluently through verbal, written, and other works innovatively and extraordinary, as we need to explore for future.”

The Council Administration and the components at Centro Chega!, we only have one compromise to continue to work together in developing the important agendas for our future mission in cooperation with the Ministry of State Administration (MAE) as a strategic partnership for house construction for the victims and build Municipal museum and plan to have the representative in the municipal level to provide more a quick and appropriately services. In addition, Timor-Leste will have implemented local government decentralization at the municipal level in 2025. Thus, being the new Council of Administration, we are desirous to work with the Executive Director, Unique Fiscal, International Advisory Councils, and Technique Professional Divisions – we can commence now to work.

(Media CNC)