AusTimorFN

Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network

Author: Mark Rohde (Page 4 of 5)

Reminder: 2010 Friendship Workshop

June 15, 2010 /
Please find attached the Invitation  (Diary Note) to the Strengthening Friendship  Workshop being organised for August 2010.

More information will be available and will be forwarded to you as soon as

practicable.Dear Friends in Australia and Timor-Leste ….

We are holding a workshop

August 27th and 28th 2010

Objectives

.:. Consolidation of Friendship Principles

.:. Action Planning

.:. Improving our co-ordination and communication

Dear Friends in Australia and Timor-Leste,

This is a reminder that we are holding a Strengthening Friendship  Workshop on August 27th and 28th 2010.

Objectives:

  • Consolidation of Friendship Principles
  • Action Planning
  • Improving our co-ordination and communication

Click here to download the Invitation.

More information will be made available as soon as practicable.

AusTimorFN welcomes H.E. Abel Guterres (back) to Australia

June 5, 2010 /

The Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network (AusTimorFN) has welcomed His Excellency Abel Guterres following his appointment as the new Timor-Leste Ambassador to Australia. Former Australian resident and long-time Timor-Leste activist, H.E. Guterres was welcomed at a dinner hosted by the AusTimorFN at the Zen Yai restaurant in Canberra on Tuesday 1 June.

AbelGuterres-1

AusTimorFN convenor Rae Kingsbury opened the dinner by saying she was very pleased to welcome back her good friend H.E. Guterres. She said it was especially pleasing to see him return to Australia in his new and well deserved role.

Ms Kingsbury and H.E. Guterres together founded the Australia Timor-Leste Friendship groups in 2000. The Friendship groups network now spans more than 50 relationships between local communities in Australia and Timor-Leste. Building on a decade of cooperation, a number of Friendship groups are now planning their next 10 years of cooperative community development.

Speaking to the dinner, Professor Damien Kingsbury noted that all present had a strong friendship with H.E. Guterres. He said that friendship between Australia and Timor-Leste was at the core of the bilateral relationship. He noted that the real strength of the friendship lay in the bonding between the communities of both countries, especially since Timor-Leste voted for independence in 1999.

Professor Kingsbury said that despite occasional ups and downs in the relationship, its enduring friendship would continue to underwrite a long-term positive relationship between the governments of the two countries and especially between the people of the two countries.

In his reply, H.E. Guterres thanked AusTimorFN for hosting the dinner and welcoming him back to Australia. He said that friendship between Australia and Timor-Leste was critical to the future of both countries, and that the community to community relationships continued to give real substance to the more formal diplomatic relationship.

H.E. Guterres also warmly welcomed Timor-Leste’s other friends to the dinner, including the Portuguese Ambassador, H.E. Rui Quartin-Santos and his wife Snr Ana Carlota Meirelles do Canto e Castro, the Brazilian Ambassador H.E. Fernando de Mello Barreto, the Philippines Ambassador, H.E. Ernesto H de Leon, and the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s senior foreign policy advisor, Philip Green.

In particular, H.E. Guterres noted the long-standing contribution of H.E. Quartin-Santos to Timor-Leste, since 1976 working with President Jose Ramos-Horta during his long years of exile.

He also noted the invaluable contributions of lawyer Bernard Collaery, who during the occupation advocated on behalf of Timor-Leste and was legal advisor to the CNRT in the critical period up until formal independence in 2002.

Also acknowledged by H.E. Guterres for their friendship to Timor-Leste were former advisor to then Foreign Minister and later Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta, Janelle Saffin, MP, Senator Julian McGauran, who was a notable supporter of Timor-Leste at a time when his own party position was in favour of Indonesian occupation, and Australian Capital Territory Deputy Chief Minister, Ms Pam Davoren, Timor-Leste Charge d’Affaires Jorge Camoes, Dr George and Barbara Preston and other guests.

H.E. Guterres said he would convene a further dinner of friends of Timor-Leste in 12 months’ time and until then that he looked forward to working closely with his and Timor-Leste’s friends.

Rae Merlyn Kingsbury, AusTimorFN national convenor.

email: raemerlynperry@gmail.com

mobile: (+61) 0448 946 483

day time ph: 03 94806210

Kirsty Gusmao visits Indonesian bazaar in Dili

June 1, 2010 /

From Antara News, Dili:

East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao’s wife, Kirsty S Gusmao, looked enthusiastic about the 2010 Indonesian Charity Bazaar held at the Indonesian embassy here Saturday.

She called the bazaar as the real form of Indonesia-Timor Leste’s friendship.

Kirsty said she was handling some social, educational and health programs for the sake of better welfare of the East Timorese.

Coming along with her three children, Kirsty said the bazaar had brought her back to Jakarta, the capital city where she had ever stayed for three years.

“I learned Indonesian language thirty years ago because it was taught at high schools in Australia. This bazaar has reminded me of the past time,” she said.

During her presence at the bazaar venue, Kirsty visited every booth which featured various Indonesian products, including handicrafts, foods and beverages.

She even bought some Batik clothes. “These are for my younger sister. I like Batik and I am choosing the Batiks that fit her,” she said.

Inside the bazaar ground, Kirsty also ordered a bowl of Indonesian meatballs. “I also remember chicken porridge. It is so delicious,” she said in fluent Indonesian language.

Indonesian Ambassador to East Timor Eddy Setiabudhi said the bazaar reflected the strengthening bilateral ties of the two countries.

“Our friendship with East Timor has increasingly strengthened. The understanding of respective cultures is also better and needs to be pushed forward,” he said.

Read the full article at Antara News.

Sr Abel Guterres presents credentials to Aus Governor General

May 22, 2010 /

Dear Friends

Earlier this week, on 18th May 2010, Sr Abel Guterres presented his credentials as Ambassador to the Australian Governor General in Canberra.

Sr Abel Guterres has worked for many years to serve the people and land of Timor-Leste.

As his friends in Australia we wish him every success for him, and his country, in his new role as the Timorese Ambassador to Australia.

Warmest friendship

Rae

Invitation 2010 Friendship Workshop

May 22, 2010 /

Dear Friends in Australia and Timor-Leste ….

We are holding a workshop

August 27th and 28th 2010

Objectives

.:. Consolidation of Friendship Principles

.:. Action Planning

.:. Improving our co-ordination and communication

Dear Friends in Australia and Timor-Leste,

We are holding a Strengthening Friendship  Workshop on August 27th and 28th 2010.

Objectives:

  • Consolidation of Friendship Principles
  • Action Planning
  • Improving our co-ordination and communication

Click here to download the Invitation (Diary Note).

More information will be made available as soon as practicable.

AETFA Annual General Meeting – outcome

May 15, 2010 /

The Australia – East Timor Friendship Association, South Australia, held its annual general meeting and public meeting in Adelaide on Sunday 18 April. The outcomes of the meeting are below:

AETFA Annual General Meeting – outcome
New Committee
At the AGM held on 18th April at the Prince Albert Hotel a new committee was elected as follows:
CHAIR: Dr Richie Gun
INFORMATION OFFICER: Andy Alcock
GENERAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Bill Fisher, Merle Menegay, Bob Hanney, Miriam Tonkin, Rosemary McKay, Donald Barnes.
The positions of SECRETARY and TREASURER remain vacant!
Mark Rohde retired as Secretary and did not seek re-election to the committee. However the committee has retained his services for Web and Email Administration, and Membership Records.
Timor Friendship Network – SA task group set up
A PANEL DISCUSSION at the Public Meeting following the AGM included presentations by Rae Kingsbury (ATLFN), Ana Joaquim Pedruco (YWCA), Jacqui Kinder (Towards a Brighter Future Friendship Group), Sandra Dann (Working Women’s Centre) and Hermen da Cruz (Timorese Students Group).
Following the discussion, this resolution was passed by the meeting:
That this public meeting of South Australian friends of Timor Leste
1.          Supports participation in the Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network and recommends that existing friendship groups join in this framework
2.          Calls on individuals and groups helping Timor Leste to share and coordinate their knowledge and resources
3.          Endorses the offer by AETFA of the resource of its Mailing List and Email List
4.          Urges other individuals and groups to join the AETFA Mailing List and Email List as a central point for coordinated communication
5.          Tasks a Coordinating Group with communicating and acting upon this decision
The meeting accepted the following nominations to the task group:
Mark Rohde – retiring Secretary of AETFA (to act as coordinator)
Rae Kingsbury – ATLFN
Ana Joaquim-Pedruco – YWCA
Jacqui Kinder – Towards a Brighter Future Friendship Group
Sandra Dann – Working Women’s Centre
Hermen Da Cruz – East Timor Students Group
Andy Alcock – AETFA Information Officer
Community Lottery tickets – still selling!
We STILL need your help to sell lottery tickets
Please send an email to communitylottery@aetfa.org.au or ring Mark on 0422 968 531 if you are able to take a booklet of 10 tickets to sell to friends, work mates and family. We also need help to sell tickets at local shopping centres.
OR buy 5 tickets for $10, or 10 for $20, for yourself. Just post a cheque to:
Australia East Timor Friendship Association
PO Box 240, GOODWOOD  SA  5034
or transfer to our account on line:
BSB No. 105-900 Account No. 952850740
Don’t forget to send an email if you do an online transaction! Your tickets will be posted to you if you include an extra 55c for postage, or an email can be sent listing your ticket numbers.
ALL MONEY RAISED FROM OUR SALES WILL SUPPORT PROJECTS IN TIMOR-LESTE!
There are 165 Prizes valued at over $280,000 on offer!
Major prizes include – a Mitsubishi Outlander XLS Luxury valued at $52,000, Jurgen Caravan valued at $37,000, Solar Hot water and PV system valued at $20,500, a $20,000 Bunnik Tours International Travel package and a Harvey Norman Shopping Spree to the value of $20,000!
Click the link below to see all 165 prizes in this year’s Australian Central Community Lottery – Community Lottery 2010 Full Prize List

AETFA Annual General Meeting – outcome

New Committee

At the AGM held on 18th April at the Prince Albert Hotel a new committee was elected as follows:

CHAIR: Dr Richie Gun

INFORMATION OFFICER: Andy Alcock

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Bill Fisher, Merle Menegay, Bob Hanney, Miriam Tonkin, Rosemary McKay, Donald Barnes.

The positions of SECRETARY and TREASURER remain vacant!

Mark Rohde retired as Secretary and did not seek re-election to the committee. However the committee has retained his services for Web and Email Administration, and Membership Records.

Timor Friendship Network – SA task group set up

A PANEL DISCUSSION at the Public Meeting following the AGM included presentations by Rae Kingsbury (ATLFN), Ana Joaquim Pedruco (YWCA), Jacqui Kinder (Towards a Brighter Future Friendship Group), Sandra Dann (Working Women’s Centre) and Hermen da Cruz (Timorese Students Group).

Following the discussion, this resolution was passed by the meeting:

That this public meeting of South Australian friends of Timor Leste

  1. Supports participation in the Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network and recommends that existing friendship groups join in this framework
  2. Calls on individuals and groups helping Timor Leste to share and coordinate their knowledge and resources
  3. Endorses the offer by AETFA of the resource of its Mailing List and Email List
  4. Urges other individuals and groups to join the AETFA Mailing List and Email List as a central point for coordinated communication
  5. Tasks a Coordinating Group with communicating and acting upon this decision

The meeting accepted the following nominations to the task group:

Mark Rohde – retiring Secretary of AETFA (to act as coordinator)

Rae Kingsbury – ATLFN

Ana Joaquim-Pedruco – YWCA

Jacqui Kinder – Towards a Brighter Future Friendship Group

Sandra Dann – Working Women’s Centre

Hermen Da Cruz – East Timor Students Group

Andy Alcock – AETFA Information Officer

Community Lottery tickets – still selling!

We STILL need your help to sell lottery tickets

Please send an email to communitylottery@aetfa.org.au or ring Mark on 0422 968 531 if you are able to take a booklet of 10 tickets to sell to friends, work mates and family. We also need help to sell tickets at local shopping centres.

OR buy 5 tickets for $10, or 10 for $20, for yourself. Just post a cheque to:

Australia East Timor Friendship Association

PO Box 240, GOODWOOD  SA  5034

or transfer to our account on line:

BSB No. 105-900 Account No. 952850740

Don’t forget to send an email if you do an online transaction! Your tickets will be posted to you if you include an extra 55c for postage, or an email can be sent listing your ticket numbers.

ALL MONEY RAISED FROM OUR SALES WILL SUPPORT PROJECTS IN TIMOR-LESTE!

There are 165 Prizes valued at over $280,000 on offer!

Major prizes include – a Mitsubishi Outlander XLS Luxury valued at $52,000, Jurgen Caravan valued at $37,000, Solar Hot water and PV system valued at $20,500, a $20,000 Bunnik Tours International Travel package and a Harvey Norman Shopping Spree to the value of $20,000!

Click the link below to see all 165 prizes in this year’s Australian Central Community Lottery:

Community Lottery 2010 Full Prize List

For more information about AETFA, please visit the website: www.aetfa.org.au

New Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Australia announced

May 9, 2010 /

The President of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, has announced Abel Guterres as the new Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Australia, in what he described as “one of the most important diplomatic posts” for the country.

At the inauguration ceremony, President Ramos-Horta stressed the importance of Timor-Leste’s relationship with Australia, saying that there is “no country more important to the vital national interests” of Timor-Leste. He described Australia as “by far our largest bilateral development partner”.

Ambassador-Guterres-inauguration-1

Ambassador Abel Guterres (left) and President José Ramos-Horta

Ambassador Guterres has previously held the role of Consul General for Timor-Leste in Sydney from 2002 to 2008, after having resided in Australia between 1975 and 1999.

In 1999, as a representative of the National Congress for the Reconstruction of East Timor (CNRT), Mr Guterres inspired the creation of the Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network in discussion with Rae Kingsbury (then Cr Rae Perry) to address the issue: “How communities in Australia could support good development of communities in Timor-Leste.”

Ambassador-Guterres-inauguration-2

Ambassador Abel Guterres (left) and President José Ramos-Horta

Ambassador Guterres has worked with energy and commitment to improve the wellbeing, safety and prosperity of the peoples of Timor-Leste and achieve a better future for the country.

As his friends in Australia, we hope that you will join with us in warmly congratulating Ambassador Guterres on this announcement. We look forward to continuing to work with him.

Australia–Timor-Leste Country Strategy 2009 to 2014

April 26, 2010 /
The Australia–Timor-Leste Country Strategy 2009 to 2014 sets out how Australian development assistance, primarily delivered by the Australian Federal Police and AusAID, will assist the Government of East Timor and the people of East Timor to work towards the Millennium Development Goals.
Developed in partnership with the Government of East Timor, the Strategy has a sharper focus on achieving results in the priority areas of health, education, employment, government accountability and police capacity. These priority areas strongly align with East Timor’s national priorities. There is a sharper focus on poverty reduction through strengthening security and building state legitimacy. The Strategy outlines five core changes:
clearer priorities
a focus on results
more use of non-government organisation capacity
more inclusive programs which address marginalisation of women and the disabled in particular
better communication on what is being done and what has been achieved in East Timor.
Key Australian and East Timorese stakeholders, including state and local governments and non-government organisations, and the multilateral development banks, were consulted throughout the process of developing the strategy.

About AusAID

The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) is the body that manages the Australian Government’s overseas aid program in developing countries. The aim of the program is to assist developing countries reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development.

The Australian Government aid program has been working in Timor-Leste since the mid-1980s, but began establishing a partnership with the new nation of Timor-Leste at its inception in 1999. The program focused on humanitarian aid in its early days, but quickly moved to broader development assistance. Now Australian aid supports East Timor’s efforts to progress towards the UN Millennium Development Goals.

About the Strategy

The Australia–Timor-Leste Country Strategy 2009 to 2014 sets out how Australian development assistance, primarily delivered by the Australian Federal Police and AusAID, will assist the Government of Timor-Leste and the people of Timor-Leste to work towards the Millennium Development Goals.

Find out more

To read more about the Australia–Timor-Leste Country Strategy 2009 to 2014, please download the PDF.

For more information about the Australian Government’s overseas aid program, see the AusAID website.

Australia – East Timor Friendship Association AGM and public meeting

April 15, 2010 /

The Australia – East Timor Friendship Association will be holding its annual general meeting and public meeting in Adelaide on Sunday 18 April. Details from the Association:

Australia – East Timor Friendship Association AGM and public meeting

AGM: 2pm

PUBLIC MEETING: 3pm

DATE: 18 April 2010

DAY: Sunday

VENUE: Prince Albert Hotel, 254 Wright St, Adelaide

Refreshments will be served. Drinks available.

The public meeting will be a panel discussion involving people who have recently worked in East Timor. It will include:

  • Rae Kingsbury – Australia-Timor-Leste Friendship Network
  • Ana Pedrucco – has recently worked in east Timor

and others.

Please attend this important meeting and learn more about the Australia Timor Leste Friendship Network, receive an update of the situation in TL and find ways of helping this brave nation rebuild.

Urge others to attend.

Mark Rohde (Secretary and Web): 0422 968 531 / +61 422 968 531
Rosemary McKay (Chairperson)
Bob Hanney (Newsletter): 08 8344 3511 / +618 8344 3511
Andy Alcock (Information Officer): 0457 827 014 / 61 8 83710580

AETFA-SA
PO Box 240
GOODWOOD SA 5034
Australia

AETFA & CIET SA INC: 35 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SOLIDARITY WITH TIMOR LESTE!

Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network NSW Facilitator

September 27, 2009 /

Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network

The Australia Timor-Leste Friendship Network (AusTimorFN) is very pleased to announce the position of its first state Convenor, Máire Sheehan, to convene the New South Wales branch of the Network.

Máire’s acceptance of this position comes as the AusTimorFN establishes branches in each of the states to ensure the Friendship Groups have proper representation and communication between each other and the Government of Timor-Leste. The convenors of the Friendship Network state branches will, with the national convenor, comprise the national committee of the AusTimorFN.

Máire’s acceptance of this position is especially welcome given her long-standing commitment to Timor-Leste and her work with the Friends of Maliana. Máire, a former Mayor and councillor of Sydney’s Leichardt City Council and a professional trainer, has been a regular visitor to Timor-Leste. She looks forward to the working with the government of Timor-Leste to help train local political leaders and administrators following the coming District elections.

As part of her work with the Friends of Maliana, Máire was one of the Friends of Maliana who were registered by the Government of Timor-Leste as an observer to the 2007 round of presidential and parliamentary elections. At that time, she monitored the elections in Maliana and throughout the sub-district. Máire also recently signed off on a major project between the Friends of Maliana and the Government of Timor-Leste to refurbish the Maliana Ginasio (gymnasium), to which the council will contribute $50,000.

The Ginasio is a building of great significance to the people of Maliana and has the potential to bring the community together for sporting events and gatherings to assist with reconciliation after the terrible events that occurred there during the 1999 violence. The people of Maliana identified the refurbishment of this facility as a key way to help this reconciliation process.

The Friendship Network welcomes Máire and looks forward to working with her to produce the best possible outcomes for the people of Timor-Leste.

In friendship,

Rae Kingsbury (nee Perry)

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