Government of Timor-Leste

Agio Pereira, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, attended the inauguration ceremony for the new Chega! Archives Centre today, June 9^th, 2026, held at the former Balide Prison/Comarca building in Dili. The event marked International Archives Day and featured an archival exhibition and a national seminar on archival policies and the legal framework for cybersecurity, attended by officials from the Government, members of parliament, representatives of the diplomatic corps, development partners, and civil society organisations. 

The new building aims to strengthen national capacity for the preservation, management, and access to the national documentary heritage, thereby contributing to the modernisation of the national archival system and the protection of Timor-Leste’s historical memory. The infrastructure was developed with support from UNESCO and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) as part of the Chega! National Centre’s digitisation project for reconciliation and peacebuilding in Timor-Leste.

In his remarks, delivered under the theme “Archival Policies as a Source of Memory and Hope,” Agio Pereira emphasised that “we are also celebrating International Archives Day, an occasion that reminds us that archives are much more than mere repositories of documents.”

The Minister emphasised that “in a country like Timor-Leste, whose history has been marked by decades of conflict, resistance, and the struggle for self-determination, the preservation of memory takes on a particularly profound significance.” He added that “public archives play a fundamental role in building peace and reconciliation.”

The minister also recalled the role of the Chega! National Centre, established to implement the recommendations of the Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation Commission and the Truth and Friendship Commission. He added that the institution “has played a vital role in preserving the nation’s memory, promoting human rights, fostering peace education, and strengthening reconciliation.” Referring to the Centre’s motto, he added that “‘From Memory to Hope’ exemplifies this mission. Memory is not merely a look back at the past. It is also a tool for building the future.”

Agio Pereira also highlighted the symbolic significance of the new Archives Centre's location, housed in the former Balide Prison/Comarca building, a site associated with the period of Indonesian occupation. “Today, this same space takes on a different meaning. It is a profoundly symbolic and powerful transformation,” he said.

The Minister also noted that, following the May 20^th celebration of the 24th anniversary of the Restoration of Independence, it is important to preserve the memory of the 24 years of Indonesian occupation, from 1975 to 1999. “This journey can only be fully understood if we preserve the memory of the 24 years preceding the Restoration of Independence and the sacrifices that made possible the freedom we enjoy today,” he stated.

As part of efforts to modernise records management, Agio Pereira welcomed the seminar on archival policies and cybersecurity and noted that the 9th Constitutional Government is preparing legislation to strengthen the national framework for cybersecurity, information system protection, and digital resilience.

 “The preservation of historical memory and the protection of digital information are today two inseparable dimensions,” he stated, adding that “ensuring the security of digital archives also means safeguarding the national memory so it remains protected and accessible to future generations.”

Before concluding, the Minister expressed the Government’s gratitude to UNESCO, KOICA, and the other partners for their contributions to the project’s success, as well as to the Executive Director and the team at the Chega! National Centre for their work in preserving the nation’s historical memory.

In closing his remarks, Agio Pereira said, “This new Archives Centre is much more than a building. It is a commitment to the truth. It is a commitment to memory. It is a commitment to future generations. It is a commitment to hope.”

Following the opening ceremony and a tour of the new Archives Centre and the archival exhibition, the sessions of the national seminar on archival policies and cybersecurity began. During the morning, the President of the National Archives of Indonesia, Mego Pinandito, presented ASEAN countries' experiences with archival legislation and institutional frameworks, while representatives from Malaysia and Vietnam addressed the challenges of digital preservation, audiovisual heritage, and the cybersecurity resilience of memory institutions.

In the afternoon, a roundtable discussion was held on public policies, the legal framework governing archives, and the draft Cybersecurity Law in Timor-Leste.

The events held marked International Archives Day and encouraged reflection on the preservation of historical memory and on the challenges of managing and protecting information in the digital age.