Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta traveled to Australia today to participate in a series of events on democracy and sustainable development.
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14/10/2026
by
Lusa
O President of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, traveled to Australia today to participate in a series of events on democracy and sustainable development.
José Ramos-Horta attends a conference at the University of Sydney on Friday, organized by Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC), dedicated to “Revisit Democracy in Turbulent Times: South East Asian Lessons and the Role of Southeast Asia in the World”.
At that conference, according to a press release issued by the Presidency, the Nobel Peace Prize will address the path of East Timor, the impact of accession to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the challenges posed to democratic backwardness and geopolitical competition in Southeast Asia.
“ This conference provides an opportunity to reflect on Timor-Leste’s trajectory, the occupation and resistance to the construction of a democratic nation, a path that now continues as a full member of ASEAN,” said José Ramos-Horta, quoted in the statement.
The conference will also recall the importance of press freedom by marking the 51st anniversary of the death of five journalists in Balibo on October 16, 1975.
The five journalists who died in Balibo were at that location about 10 kilometres from the Indonesian border to report the incursions of the Indonesian forces to East Timor, which ended with the occupation on December 7, 1975.
From Sydney, the President travels to Perth, to participate in Global Citizens Now, between Sunday and Tuesday, a conference that will bring together several political leaders, entrepreneurs, academics and civil society to promote practical solutions for the energy sector, sustainable development and climate action.
José Ramos-Horta participates on Monday in the session on “Safe Energy and Independence”.
“For East Timor, as a country particularly vulnerable to climate change, this discussion is not abstract; it is existential. I hope to contribute to solutions that guarantee energy independence, regional stability and a fair transition for all,” added the Timorese President, returning to Dili on 21 October.