The Secretary of State for Art and Culture, Maria Isabel Ximenes, launched, on March 28th, in the district of Liquiçá, the Book “Architectural Heritage of Portuguese Origin in Liquiçá”.

Maria Isabel Ximenes announced that a book on this subject will be launched in all the districts. These books have the purpose of not only raise awareness on the cultural heritage of the country but also contribute to its preservation and protection. Therefore, in the last page it includes the Government Resolution n. 25/2011, of September 4th, about the protection of the cultural heritage.

The Secretariat of State of Art and Culture (SoSAC) plans to launch the book about the district of Oe-Cusse Ambeno, in 2015 – for the 500 years’ celebration of the arrival of the Portuguese in Timor that happened, precisely in Lifau (Oe-Cusse Ambeno). ”We have been surveying the information in every district and publishing it. The book on Heritage in Liquiçá is the first product of this work”, stated the Secretary of State.

This year in February, it took place the launching of the book “The Living Heritage of Communities in Timor-Leste”, in cooperation with UNESCO. The book will be distributed to all ministries soon as well as to the National Parliament and to the Community Authorities in order to arouse interest on the assets that exist in the country, in general, and specifically to encourage each district to maintain its own culture and identity. “It is for SoSAC to preserve and protect the Timorese culture, by maintaining an on-going relationship with the community, while doing so” assured Maria Isabel Ximenes.

According to the National Director for Heritage and Culture, Manuel Smith, it is also planed data collection services across the district of Liquiçá including aspects related to traditional heritage and sacred houses.

As for the Portuguese origin heritage “although not all data on the existing heritage in the country was collected, this book already contains a good sample of the existing heritage in the other districts,” concluded Manuel Smith.

This year it is being given special attention to the existing heritage in the district of Dili, where there is a strong development of infrastructure, so that we can proceed timely to identification of heritage, thus preventing their loss.

Present at the ceremony, were the Secretary of State for Land and Property, the representative of the Japanese Embassy, the Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the national directors and Heads of department, the Administrator of Dili’s District and local authorities.