The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, representing the Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, on October 30th, 2020, sworn in the Centro Nacional Chega, IP’s Board of Directors’ new members, for 2020-2023, in a ceremony that took place on the premises of this public institute.
Alzira Sequeira Freitas dos Reis took office as Centro Nacional Chega, IP’s Board of Directors’ Chairman and Felicidade de Sousa Guterres, as a Board of Directors’ member, both appointed by the Council of Ministers, at the meeting held on October 14th.
The remaining Board of Directors’ members, Arlindo Francisco Marçal, Jovito Rego de Jesus and Sisto dos Santos, representatives of the Religious Confessions, the Former Commissioner of CAVR / CVA and Fongtil, respectively, were reappointed in their terms for another three years.
The Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, in his speech, stressed, in first place “the impact of the Centro Chega for Timor-Leste, for national cohesion, for human rights, for democracy, for the dream of a civilization that we want to build”, “in which there are peace and respect for human rights and human dignity”.
Secondly, the Minister highlighted the “impact of Centro Chega on the foreign policy of Timor-Leste”, for its contribution that represents “a living monument”, “important to keep in mind that the suffering and violations of human rights happened due to an international political conjecture”, so that “when Timor-Leste, as a State, needs to make international decisions at the United Nations, won’t forget the idealism that motivated people to fight for their freedom” and that “orient Timor-Leste to not to contribute to decisions that take away people’s rights, in the region and in the world ”.
Lastly, Fidelis Magalhães referred to “the CNC’s contribution to humanity”, “for the great lesson it represents, for this document, for this place and for the noble values of our people”, “values of compassion and forgiveness, of which we, Timorese, should be proud ”.
The public institute Centro Nacional Chega, created in December 2016, has the mission of promoting the recommendations of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR)’s implementation, regarding the institutionalization of memory and the promotion of human rights through education and training and solidarity with the most vulnerable survivors of human rights violations, as well as the common recommendations to the CAVR and the Bilateral Truth and Friendship Commission (CVA) regarding the construction of a national centre for memory, research and learning.