National Conference on Community Radios
On September 6 and 7, the Community Radio Center (CRC), an organism under the responsibility of the Secretariat of State of the Council of Ministers, organized a National Conference on Community Radios in the Teacher Training Center, located in the former CNRT in Balide.
The conference’s main objectives were to understand the situation of the mass media in Timor-Leste and the contribution of community radios in the process of nation building; to renew the principles of community radios and the participation plan and address the issue of support, from the community, to the sustainability of the radios.
In his speech, Vice Prime Minister José Luís Guterres, reaffirmed the "Government's intention to support community radio stations, since these have an important role in transmitting information to the community, regarding the government’s activities. It is therefore the government’s responsibility to provide such assistance through the Secretariat of State of the Council of Ministers, in the form of radio equipment, orientation for the maintenance and restoration of the transmitting antenna in the district of Lautém. "
José Luís Guterres also pointed out the importance of radios in the process of culture development, the transmission of information through traditional languages, as well as preserving and developing the dialects as a national heritage.
The Director of the Community Radios Centre, Luís Evaristo Soares, reinforced the help provided by the Government, particularly the Secretary of State for Council of Ministers who has helped with suitable equipment for the operation of radios in the dissemination of educational information, in the community’s favor, making them aware of their participation in the country’s development.
The Radio Timor-Leste representative, Rosário Martins, spoke of the importance of partnership between community radio and Radio Timor-Leste, concerning the dissemination of information through direct programs on Radio Timor-Leste to community radio stations scattered throughout the territory.
The Vice Prime Minister José Luís Guterres, but also Acting Prime Minister, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Good Governance, Development and Humanitarian Coordination of UNMIT, Finn Reske-Nielsen, representatives of UNICEF, WHO (World Health Organization), SFCG (Search for Common Ground), and members of community radios stations across the country attended the conference.
