The launch of the second edition of the publication and exhibition “The last steps of National liberation -A Chronology” was held in a ceremony n August 23, 2019, at the Government Palace.

The ceremony was attended by the Director-General of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM), Pedro Feno, representing the Minister of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira and the resident coordinator of the United Nations in Timor-Leste, Roy Trivedy.

“The last steps of the National liberation – A Chronology” is a publication produced by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, edited for the first time in 2009, on the occasion of the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Popular Consultation and now republished on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Referendum. The printing of this second edition counted on the support of the United Nations in Timor-Leste.

The exhibition is part of the Cultural Festival of the Popular Resistance, itself part of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the Popular Consultation, which runs from August 25th to 30th, at the Dili Convention Center.

On August 30, 1999, the people of Timor-Leste, with courage and determination vote in the Popular Consultation. Finally, after 24 years of Indonesian occupation, the Timorese express their will for independence of the national territory.

This publication intends to honor the extraordinary firmness and bravery of the Timorese, chronologically reporting the events occurring between May 5 and September 4, 1999, and which led to self-determination.

Pedro Feno thanked “on behalf of the Government of Timor-Leste the support provided by the United Nations in Timor-Leste in the printing of the second edition of the publication and the exhibition”.

The Director-General of PCM also stated that “the chronology that is now republished, showcases the importance of the resilience of our people in the struggle for self-determination and freedom, culminating in the overwhelming participation in the Popular Consultation on 30 August 1999 and for which the United Nations’ support was decisive. “

Roy Trivedy expressed his “contentment for supporting this initiative aimed at honoring the courage of the Timorese people who led to freedom.”

The Minister of State, in the foreword accompanying this second edition, states that “the journey of the Timorese people is guided by many challenges and, especially, by many small – great – victories: we are ultimately the owners of our destiny, of our decisions, good or bad, made by us and for us, the construction and consolidation of our democratic institutions, access to electricity nationwide, the signing of the Treaty defining our maritime frontier with Australia, the beginning of negotiations of our border with Indonesia and the relations of fraternity and cooperation with friend and partner countries, are just some of the great milestones of the last twenty years, of our young country. “

The publication “The last steps of national liberation – A Chronology” is available at

 http://timor-leste.gov.tl/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/cronologia-consulta-popular_EN.pdf