The Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network congratulates Timor-Leste on the inauguration of its new embassy in Canberra. Timor-Leste’s President Jose Ramos-Horta told guests to the inauguration ceremony that the embassy being built with Australian public support was a world first in friendship between countries. President Ramos-Horta was visiting Australia on a state visit.

The opening of the Timor-Leste Embassy followed an official lunch at Parliament House to welcome President Ramos-Horta, AusTimorFN was represented at the lunch and embassy inauguration by Convener Rae Kingsbury and NSW Facilitator Maire Sheehan. Andy Alcock from the Australia East Timor Friendship Association (SA) and several members from the Canberra Friends of Dili also attended, along with numerous ambassadors, government officials and other dignitaries.

President Ramos-Horta’s concluded his visit to Canberra with a formal dinner at Government House hosted by the Governor-General Quentin Bryce, which Rae also attended along with co-founder of the Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network and now Timor-Leste Ambassador to Australia Abel Guterres. President Ramos-Horta took the occasion of the dinner to reflect on the strength and depth of the friendship between Timor-Leste and Australia.

Following celebrations for Timor-Leste in Canberra, Rae met in Darwin with AusTimorFN Northern Territory Facilitator Lynn Bigg. Rae then travelled to Timor-Leste to finalise arrangements with the Ministry of State Administration for the Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Workshop to be held in Maubisse on 27th and 28th August.

Rae Kingsbury,
Convener Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network, AusTimorFN