DILI, 25 november 2021 (TATOLI)- In a successful leaderships convocation at the Kyoto University of Art and Sophia University in Japan Tuesday (November 23/2021), the first President and former Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, received an honorary doctorate of Art (Peace and Culture) and an Honorary Doctorate for peace justice and resolution.
Gusmão was conferred by Kyoto University of Art and Sophia University for his dedication to a culture of peace that exemplifies the ideals of the Kyoto University of Art at the same time He was also conferred the Honorary doctorate by the Sophia University for accomplishments as unfailing leadership that sought a peaceful resolution that highly appraises globally.
Gusmão welcomes the high academic degree from Both Universities Kyoto University of Art and Sophia University saying “It is a great honor for me to be here, today, receiving this high academic degree from Universities. It is a great honor – and perhaps a source of inspiration for me to dedicate more time to painting, which is something I always loved, but which circumstances did not allow me to pursue.
In his speech at the Kyoto University of Art, Gusmão considers Arts to provide human beings with knowledge, harmony, and happiness. Arts build citizenship and consolidate development and Culture is an important structural element in any society.
“Faced with many competing priorities, politicians tend to pay little attention to culture. While they may consider it a less critical sector, I believe it is just the opposite. I say that culture and the arts should be present in the lives of everyone, from toddlers to senior citizens, and particularly those in the higher echelons of leadership,”
Culture, and particularly the arts, brings people and ideas closer and can have a liberating effect.
“I think that is why I went back to painting and poetry during my seven long years as a political prisoner. I went from an idealistic guerrilla fighter to an idealistic prisoner, and it was the culture that helped me to endure imprisonment. While the Timorese resistance continued to fight against a dictatorial regime and an illegal occupation, I felt powerless and the only place where I could find relief from my frustration and anguish was in the arts,” Gusmão said.
Referring to Peacebuilding and Democratic Governance in an Era of Uncertainty and about the Role of the ‘g7+’, Gusmão highlights democratization and peacebuilding are core aspects of a State, that wants to govern itself by the principles of transparency, freedom, justice, human rights, and solidarity, saying it is no less true that upholding these ideals is an ongoing challenge for any society, particularly in times of crisis.
“This challenge has never been greater than in today’s multipolar and ever-changing world. So complex and uncertain in this 21st century, that the polarization of opinions, interests, and power entails substantial new threats against the survival of democracy and even humankind itself,” said Gusmão.
“The only certainty we can have is that no nation, no matter how powerful, can understand and respond by itself to the changes affecting our planet. If a threat can cross a border, then it can also dilute that border. Such a threat requires a collective response,”
Recent Pandemic
When addressing his special lecture at the Sophia University, Gusmão at the same time focus his attention on the recent pandemic that affect almost all the countries around the world, it even contributed to the weakening of democracies around the globe. This virus, which has already killed over 5 million people, is an enemy of freedom and a strong ally of inequality.
Hence Gusmão said, the world is still far from being able to claim victory over COVID-19.
“If we take the time to look at the bottom of the global vaccination tables, the vaccination rate of several unfortunate countries in southern Africa remains below 1%, these countries continue to be helpless, in turn, may render useless the high vaccination rates achieved in more fortunate countries, and we all helpless,”
Therefore, it is required for the international community to act as one to overcome not just the global public health crisis but also its consequences and negative impacts on the social and economic structures of every country in the world, particularly developing countries.
Fundamental reason the univerisities conffered the Honorary doctorate to The first President and the Charismatic Leader of Timor-Leste Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão:
Xanana Gusmão’s dedication to Timor-Leste’s Independence and bring the peace to Timor-Leste and to the World through the dialogue, peace and reconciliation.
Achieving peace and reconciliation with Indonesia and Australia through g7+:
The story of reconciliation between Timor-Leste and Indonesia is remarkable for the process and its success. After gaining independence in 2002, the leadership of Timor-Leste prioritized forgiveness in order to forge a new relationship with its closest neighbor, and to heal the battle scars amongst its own divided community. The process was supported by the Indonesian government, which was bedding in the democratizion of politics and reforming its security institutions. With an international focus on prosecuting individual perpetrators of violence, the leaders of Timor-Leste and Indonesia instead sought a model of reconciliation that was anchored in both peace building and state building.
The Timor-Leste-Australia Maritime Boundary Treaty:
Timor-Leste won a great victory on 6 March, when Australia and Timor-Leste signed the Treaty Establishing their Maritime Boundaries in the Timorese Sea (hereinafter, Boundary Treaty). After decades of occupation and struggle, and tens of billions of dollars in extracted petroleum, the Australian government finally accepted its northern neighbor’s sovereign right to a border based on current international law. This article will examine the provisions and implications of that agreement, its historical significance, and what is likely to happen as a result of the precedent-setting Boundary Treaty.
Awards and Honors conffered to Xanana Gusmão:
Awards:
Meeting Students of DIS – Dili International School, 22 October 2009,
In 1999, Gusmão was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
In 2000, Gusmão was awarded the Sydney Peace Prize for being a “courageous and principled leader for the independence of the East Timorese people”.
In 2000, Gusmão won the first Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, created to honour “individuals, groups or institutions in Korea and abroad that have contributed in promoting and advancing human rights, democracy and peace through their work.”
In 2002, he was awarded the North–South Prize by the Council of Europe.
Gusmão is an Eminent Member of the Sérgio Vieira de Mello Foundation.
Honours:
PRT Order of Liberty – Grand Cross BAR.png Grand-Cross of the Order of Liberty, Portugal (9 June 1993)
New Zealand Order of Merit ribbon.png Honorary Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM), New Zealand (6 July 2000) for the furtherance of New Zealand–East Timor relations
UK Order St-Michael St-George ribbon.svg Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (GCMG), United Kingdom (2003)
PRT Order of Prince Henry – Grand Collar BAR.png Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry, Portugal (13 November 2007)
Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipurna Ribbon Bar.gif Bintang Republik Indonesia Adipurna 1st Class. Indonesia (10 October 2014).
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