Commemorating the 36th anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence of Timor-Leste (November 28, 1975)
On November 28, 2011 Timor-Leste celebrated the 36th anniversary of the proclamation of its Independence in the grounds of the Presidential Palace in Díli.
The ceremony was presided by the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, attended by the President of the National Parliament, Fernando Lasama de Araújo, the Vice Prime Minister, José Luís Guterres, the President of the Court of Appeal, Claúdio Ximenes, the members of the Government, the members of the Parliament, the Proclamador of Independence, Francisco Xavier do Amaral, the former Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri, the former President of the National Parliament, Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo, Veterans, representatives of the diplomatic corp, international agencies and the general population.
After hoisting the national flag, was read the text of the proclamation made by Proclamador of Independence, Francisco Xavier do Amaral.
José Ramos-Horta has focused his speech on "certain issues of paramount importance, namely, progress and challenges encountered during the ten years since the Restoration of Independence, democratic political pluralism, the fight against poverty, learning from mistakes, the steps for creating peace, regional cooperative integration and existence of domestic violence".
"The socio-economic indicators in relation to education, health, environment and domestic violence, pointing to the progress by running down from the year 2007, the percentage of the poverty to 9% in education and health, infant mortality and newborn babies has fallen by half in 2007, the number of students enrolled in schools increased from 60% to 90% and perhaps over the next year, and in 2013, reaching 100%. Last week, in the area of medicine, 54 were graduate students by UNTL, after a course of six years within the territory, by 2016 we expect to obtain 1000 medical staff formed by UNTL", said Ramos-Horta.
The call of the President was directed to the Government and the population in general, to focus on education, health and the issue of domestic violence, which are very important for the future of Timor-Leste.
"Hope and persistence, determination, the service of this beloved country of Timor-Leste, which translates into the responsibility of us all, we strive to consolidate peace, continuing contribution in the development of stability, always valuing and with high consideration, the acts of honesty practiced on behalf of all Timorese citizens", pleaded the Nobel Peace Prize.
During the ceremony were assigned by the President of the Republic, medals of the Order Timor to the Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Army, General José Luís Pinto Ramalho, and the medal of merit to Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, the current Prime Minister, and the whole team engaged in Telefónica International Radio in 1975.
