Government of Timor-Leste

The Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, was honoured with the “Career Award” at the 8th edition of the Lusophony Awards Gala, which took place on October 12^th at the Estoril Casino in Portugal. This recognition celebrates his historic role in the struggle for Timor-Leste's independence and his continued leadership in building a democratic and peaceful nation. 

At the ceremony, organised in partnership with the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) and Cascais City Council, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão dedicated the award to the Timorese, stating that “this award of mine belongs to the Timorese people” because “it was the Timorese who fought for the integrity of the nation and who sacrificed themselves for the liberation of a people and its territory”. “It became my role to lead this struggle for liberation and independence, but, in truth, it was my people who led me. It was the women, men, young people and children of my beloved country who inspired me, who gave me strength and hope and who never allowed me to give up in the most difficult moments of my journey, for which I am honoured today”, he added. 

He also emphasised that “if this was true during the period of gaining independence, it is no less true in the last 22 years of building a state and a nation that has risen from the rubble. Without the resilience and courage of the Timorese people, we would not today be a Lusophone country that prides itself on being a vibrant, peaceful democracy on the road to progress”.

The Career Award was presented by Zacarias Albano da Costa, Executive Secretary of the CPLP, and Isabel Leitão, mentor of the Gala, highlighting the international recognition of Xanana Gusmão's importance not only for Timor-Leste but also for the entire Lusophone community. 

 The Prime Minister also emphasised the value of Lusophony as a unifying force, saying that “anyone who doesn't understand the value of our Lusophone community doesn't understand the meaning of genuine friendship and solidarity devoid of convenience”. “The universe of the Portuguese language and Lusophony has the dimension of a dream, and all great dreams are inexhaustible”. “We must, therefore, use our language and common identity to spread a message of peace, which is so urgent in the world”, Xanana Gusmão emphasised.

In addition to Xanana Gusmão, the 2024 Lusophony Awards Gala honoured 14 other personalities from the nine CPLP countries, celebrating their exceptional contributions to promoting the Portuguese language and culture.

Xanana Gusmão took the opportunity to announce that Timor-Leste will host the 4th edition of the Conference of Luso-Asian Communities in June 2025, reinforcing the historical and cultural connection between the Lusophone communities in Asia and the Pacific.