Vice Prime Minister Highlights Youth Volunteering and Civic Engagement at the RYLA-TL 2026 Conference
The Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs, and Minister of Rural Development and Community Housing, Mariano Assanami Sabino, participated as keynote speaker at the opening of the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards–Timor-Leste (RYLA-TL) 2026 Conference, held at the Noble Palace in Lahane, where he urged young people to strengthen volunteering, promote dialogue, and contribute actively to national development.
In his address, Mariano Assanami Sabino highlighted RYLA-TL’s role in developing young people's leadership skills and promoting values such as responsibility, honesty, mutual respect, and community service.
The Vice Prime Minister highlighted volunteering as a vital form of youth participation in society and encouraged participants to apply their knowledge and skills to serve their respective communities and the country.
Mariano Assanami Sabino also emphasised the importance of dialogue and respect for differing opinions. Recalling the lessons of Timor-Leste's past, he argued that disagreements should be addressed through debate, cooperation, and the search for solutions, within a democratic framework.
In this context, he urged participants to listen to different perspectives, share knowledge, and maintain constructive relations with young people from various organisations and sectors of society, including those active in political parties.
The RYLA-TL Conference brings together young people from diverse backgrounds and experiences for training and exchange activities to develop leadership skills, build contact networks, and prepare social action initiatives in communities.
RYLA-TL has been conducting youth training activities in Timor-Leste since 2010 and, across successive editions, has combined leadership training with participation in volunteer and community service activities.
At the end of his address, the Vice Prime Minister encouraged participants to apply what they learned at the conference in their communities and to remain involved in volunteering, dialogue, and civic participation initiatives.
