Timor-Leste participates in the 15th Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the CPLP
The Minister of Youth, Sports, Art and Culture, Nelyo Isaac Sarmento, participated in the 15th Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sport of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP) from November 12th to 16th in Cascais, Portugal. This meeting brought together the ministers responsible for the Youth and Sports ministries of the nine CPLP member states to strengthen cooperation and promote the exchange of experiences in youth and sport. 
On November 14th, the conference concluded with the adoption of a Final Declaration, which highlighted essential resolutions directly impacting Timor-Leste and the young people of Portuguese-speaking countries. Among the commitments made was a resolution that recognises the importance of School Sports and provides for the creation of the ‘CPLP School Sports Olympics’. This initiative, proposed by Cape Verde, will be analysed again in 2025 in Dili during the next meeting of the Sports Commission. 
The Conference also included a commitment from the member countries to hold the 12th CPLP Sports Games in Timor-Leste between July 17th and 27th, 2025. The member countries pledged to support this initiative and ensure the necessary technical, material, and financial conditions for its realisation. 
The Executive Secretary of the CPLP, Zacarias da Costa, emphasised the importance of youth and sports for the sustainable development of the CPLP, saying that “active involvement of young people to achieve sustainable, inclusive and stable societies is fundamental”. Zacarias da Costa emphasised the role of sports “due to its universality” as a “very relevant tool for empowering, connecting and educating young people worldwide. Sports contribute to increasing understanding of the importance of sustainable development and promoting a lasting social legacy for current and new generations”.
Among other resolutions, the decision to hold the next CPLP Young Creators Biennial in Cape Verde in 2026, and the approval of a new funding model for Youth and Sports activities, stood out. From now on, member states' contributions will be channelled into the CPLP Special Fund, a measure which, according to CPLP cooperation director Manuel Lapão, “will allow for greater agility in meeting financial obligations and will contribute to the sustainability of Youth and Sports action plans”. 
Timor-Leste's active participation in the Conference reinforces its national commitment to youth and promotes sport as a social and cultural development factor. By hosting the 12th CPLP Sports Games, Timor-Leste is reaffirming its role as a partner dedicated to strengthening the bonds of solidarity between Lusophone peoples and building a more inclusive future for the CPLP youth. 
