FPCD Executive Director's Opening Remarks, Timor-Leste Culture Week
I ♥ TL Culture Week
In honour of Timor-Leste’s 5th year Anniversary of Independence and Culture
Remarks by
Claudia Abate
Executive Director
Foundation for Post Conflict Development
Its True! I ♥ TL!
But that is not why I chose this theme for the presentation of Timor-Leste Culture Week. More on that in a moment….
I would like to add my voice in welcoming you here this evening for the launch of New York’s first Timor-Leste Culture Week.
I will begin by thanking The Gabarron Foundation Carriage House Center for the Arts for their generosity in co-hosting Timor-Leste Culture Week in honour of Timor-Leste’s 5th Year Anniversary of Independence. They, too, are most appropriately celebrating their 5th anniversary of bringing art and cultural programmes to New York in the spirit of peace and goodwill and in the image of their father, Spain’s Maestro, Cristobal Gabarron.
I will take a moment to acknowledge, and would you please stand so that we can applaud you, Cris and Juan Gabarron of the Gabarron Foundation. Thank you most sincerely for lending us your valuable time and the use of this beautiful space and for working with the Foundation for Post Conflict Development on the I ♥ TL program. There is no better alliance than our two Foundations bridging cultural understanding world wide. I would like to especially acknowledge my sister Monika Abate of the Gabarron Foundation for all her efforts, personal support and not least of all, mobilizing Mayor Bloomberg to support Timor-Leste’s Culture Week.
The Permanent Mission of Timor-Leste to the United Nations must also be mentioned for their kind cooperation and support in making this series of cultural events possible. The people of Timor-Leste have fought long and hard, both inside and outside their territory to achieve independence. They fought against all odds for a self-determination that many thought would never be realized. There was a guerilla front, a clandestine movement, a youth front and diplomatic front. Some fought in the mountains, some lived in exile, but united they fought never-the-less. Timor-Leste achieved nationhood with the help of many supporters and international solidarity groups, however first and foremost independence was achieved through those closest to them…spouses, children…and family. Today, the struggle continues in a different way and all Timorese families merit our highest form of respect.
Normally, in the Diplomatic Community, we address Ambassadors, Ministers and Presidents as “Your Excellency”. In introducing our special guests this evening, and since we are amongst friends, I hope you’ll forgive me for not sticking to the standard protocol.
When I call your names, would you please stand up.
Your Excellencies Gabriella and Yuri Santos and Your Excellencies Niarra and Paulo Guterres – We have with us this evening the children of Timor-Leste’s Foreign Minister, Jose Luis Guterres and the children of UN Ambassador Nelson Santos.
Your Excellency, Ana Maria Valerio Guterres
Your Excellency Mariazinha Freitas
Your Excellencies Sofia Borges and Hans Stromeyer and
Your Excellency Ambassador Nelson Santos
For all that you stand for today and for all that you fought for as individuals and as families, you are all Excellencies and you honour us by being here tonight. This week is about you and for you.
I knew I had to entice New Yorkers into knowing more about Timor-Leste with a theme that was ever so familiar.
The I ♥ NY logo was devised as more than just a tourism catchphrase. It was a label to unite the Catskills mountains, the beaches of Long Island, Brooklyn, Chinatown, Little Italy, Korea Town, uptown, downtown, eastside or westside. New Yorkers take great pride in cultural diversity. It is in fact, what makes New York, New York.
As a New Yorker, my life changed 5 years ago when the UN sent me to Timor-Leste to help organize the independence ceremonies. It was a profound moment of discovery that amongst so much visible destruction and poverty, the will and the hope of the people was unlike anything I had seen before. This experience is the inspiration for the creation of the Foundation for Post Conflict Development, founded to assist countries emerging from conflict situations.
The I ♥ TL logo was devised with all of this in mind. I wanted on the one hand unite two seemingly different worlds: New York and Timor-Leste. And on the other, I wanted to infuse a little national pride, in a new way, amongst the Timorese because they have so much to be proud of.
When I was in Timor-Leste 10 days ago, I brought with me 5000 I ♥ TL bags. I sampled the reaction of the bags with shopkeepers, taxi drivers, children, orphans, mothers and fathers, village chiefs, midwives…. The response was always the same – A big smile and an occasional VIVA TIMOR-LESTE!
In Timor-Leste’s post conflict state a new struggle has begun. The Timorese know well their fragilities and they will overcome them. Whether they are from the enclave of Ocuessi, the beaches of Los Palos or Bacau, the mountains of Same or the city of Dili, they are all Timorese and they love their country as much as we do ours. And they desire to sustain the same fundamental values as we do.
At the end of the day, we all want our children to be healthy and safe, educated, and cared for, we all want to have a vocation and make a meaningful contribution to society. The Timorese embody these values even more because in the face of adversity, they persevere!
And that’s what the I ♥ TL theme is all about… a message to the Timorese people that we will stand by you and for reminding us all that we are united through common threads of love, hope and respect. Through embracing each others cultural diversity, we can truly create a culture of peace, one heart at a time.
* *
The Foundation for Post Conflict Development commissioned Rose Bapier Productions, under the leadership of Artistic Director Sofia Gitis, to present and create music in honour of Timor-Leste and in line with her motto – the art of music making a difference. Sofia and her team are world class musicians who believe in more than music for the sake of music. For example, Rose Bapier created a unique CD in honour of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Sofia Gitis and Rose Bapier has attracted the attention of President Xanana Gusmao, to collect and consolidate the cultural diversity within Timor-Leste, for the Timorese themselves to preserve and embrace. And on the other hand, Rose Bapier has devised a way to introduce their culture and music to the West, starting here this very evening.
Before we hear this magical performance, I would like to give the floor to Timor-Leste’s UN Ambassador. He is a skilled diplomat, who amongst many achievements negotiated the border agreement between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. As his country’s 2nd Permanent Representative to the UN, and apart from his regular diplomatic duties, he is leading Timor-Leste’s campaign for a seat on the Human Rights Council in 2008. I will leave the politics to a different venue, however, I am certain that you will agree, it is indeed relevant to mention in the context of the I ♥ TL week, that Timor-Leste’s culture is very rich in the promotion and protection of Human Rights. Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your attention and please warmly welcome, His Excellency, Ambassador Nelson Santos.
In honour of Timor-Leste’s 5th year Anniversary of Independence and Culture
Remarks by
Claudia Abate
Executive Director
Foundation for Post Conflict Development
Its True! I ♥ TL!
But that is not why I chose this theme for the presentation of Timor-Leste Culture Week. More on that in a moment….
I would like to add my voice in welcoming you here this evening for the launch of New York’s first Timor-Leste Culture Week.
I will begin by thanking The Gabarron Foundation Carriage House Center for the Arts for their generosity in co-hosting Timor-Leste Culture Week in honour of Timor-Leste’s 5th Year Anniversary of Independence. They, too, are most appropriately celebrating their 5th anniversary of bringing art and cultural programmes to New York in the spirit of peace and goodwill and in the image of their father, Spain’s Maestro, Cristobal Gabarron.
I will take a moment to acknowledge, and would you please stand so that we can applaud you, Cris and Juan Gabarron of the Gabarron Foundation. Thank you most sincerely for lending us your valuable time and the use of this beautiful space and for working with the Foundation for Post Conflict Development on the I ♥ TL program. There is no better alliance than our two Foundations bridging cultural understanding world wide. I would like to especially acknowledge my sister Monika Abate of the Gabarron Foundation for all her efforts, personal support and not least of all, mobilizing Mayor Bloomberg to support Timor-Leste’s Culture Week.
The Permanent Mission of Timor-Leste to the United Nations must also be mentioned for their kind cooperation and support in making this series of cultural events possible. The people of Timor-Leste have fought long and hard, both inside and outside their territory to achieve independence. They fought against all odds for a self-determination that many thought would never be realized. There was a guerilla front, a clandestine movement, a youth front and diplomatic front. Some fought in the mountains, some lived in exile, but united they fought never-the-less. Timor-Leste achieved nationhood with the help of many supporters and international solidarity groups, however first and foremost independence was achieved through those closest to them…spouses, children…and family. Today, the struggle continues in a different way and all Timorese families merit our highest form of respect.
Normally, in the Diplomatic Community, we address Ambassadors, Ministers and Presidents as “Your Excellency”. In introducing our special guests this evening, and since we are amongst friends, I hope you’ll forgive me for not sticking to the standard protocol.
When I call your names, would you please stand up.
Your Excellencies Gabriella and Yuri Santos and Your Excellencies Niarra and Paulo Guterres – We have with us this evening the children of Timor-Leste’s Foreign Minister, Jose Luis Guterres and the children of UN Ambassador Nelson Santos.
Your Excellency, Ana Maria Valerio Guterres
Your Excellency Mariazinha Freitas
Your Excellencies Sofia Borges and Hans Stromeyer and
Your Excellency Ambassador Nelson Santos
For all that you stand for today and for all that you fought for as individuals and as families, you are all Excellencies and you honour us by being here tonight. This week is about you and for you.
I knew I had to entice New Yorkers into knowing more about Timor-Leste with a theme that was ever so familiar.
The I ♥ NY logo was devised as more than just a tourism catchphrase. It was a label to unite the Catskills mountains, the beaches of Long Island, Brooklyn, Chinatown, Little Italy, Korea Town, uptown, downtown, eastside or westside. New Yorkers take great pride in cultural diversity. It is in fact, what makes New York, New York.
As a New Yorker, my life changed 5 years ago when the UN sent me to Timor-Leste to help organize the independence ceremonies. It was a profound moment of discovery that amongst so much visible destruction and poverty, the will and the hope of the people was unlike anything I had seen before. This experience is the inspiration for the creation of the Foundation for Post Conflict Development, founded to assist countries emerging from conflict situations.
The I ♥ TL logo was devised with all of this in mind. I wanted on the one hand unite two seemingly different worlds: New York and Timor-Leste. And on the other, I wanted to infuse a little national pride, in a new way, amongst the Timorese because they have so much to be proud of.
When I was in Timor-Leste 10 days ago, I brought with me 5000 I ♥ TL bags. I sampled the reaction of the bags with shopkeepers, taxi drivers, children, orphans, mothers and fathers, village chiefs, midwives…. The response was always the same – A big smile and an occasional VIVA TIMOR-LESTE!
In Timor-Leste’s post conflict state a new struggle has begun. The Timorese know well their fragilities and they will overcome them. Whether they are from the enclave of Ocuessi, the beaches of Los Palos or Bacau, the mountains of Same or the city of Dili, they are all Timorese and they love their country as much as we do ours. And they desire to sustain the same fundamental values as we do.
At the end of the day, we all want our children to be healthy and safe, educated, and cared for, we all want to have a vocation and make a meaningful contribution to society. The Timorese embody these values even more because in the face of adversity, they persevere!
And that’s what the I ♥ TL theme is all about… a message to the Timorese people that we will stand by you and for reminding us all that we are united through common threads of love, hope and respect. Through embracing each others cultural diversity, we can truly create a culture of peace, one heart at a time.
* *
The Foundation for Post Conflict Development commissioned Rose Bapier Productions, under the leadership of Artistic Director Sofia Gitis, to present and create music in honour of Timor-Leste and in line with her motto – the art of music making a difference. Sofia and her team are world class musicians who believe in more than music for the sake of music. For example, Rose Bapier created a unique CD in honour of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Sofia Gitis and Rose Bapier has attracted the attention of President Xanana Gusmao, to collect and consolidate the cultural diversity within Timor-Leste, for the Timorese themselves to preserve and embrace. And on the other hand, Rose Bapier has devised a way to introduce their culture and music to the West, starting here this very evening.
Before we hear this magical performance, I would like to give the floor to Timor-Leste’s UN Ambassador. He is a skilled diplomat, who amongst many achievements negotiated the border agreement between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. As his country’s 2nd Permanent Representative to the UN, and apart from his regular diplomatic duties, he is leading Timor-Leste’s campaign for a seat on the Human Rights Council in 2008. I will leave the politics to a different venue, however, I am certain that you will agree, it is indeed relevant to mention in the context of the I ♥ TL week, that Timor-Leste’s culture is very rich in the promotion and protection of Human Rights. Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your attention and please warmly welcome, His Excellency, Ambassador Nelson Santos.
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posted by Claudia Abate at 7:31 AM
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