DILI, 23 october 2023 (TATOLI) – UN Women, in collaboration with the Alola Foundation, is empowering the network of Timor-Leste’s Tais weavers’ groups to ensure a brighter and more sustainable future.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Alola Foundation, Maria Imaculada Guterres, said that empowering the network of weavers through training in leadership, business management, financial literacy and administrative management is essential to guarantee the sustainability of the business of each tais weaver group.
“Creating good communication and coordination between the various weaver groups is important to strengthen the Tais weavers’ business in the country towards a brighter and more sustainable future,” said Guterres at the Tais Forum 2023, held in Dili.
He also said that strengthening the network of different weavers from different municipalities, including Oe-Cusse, Covalima, Lautem, Bobonaro, Baucau and Viqueque, is equally important to preserve traditional weaving techniques in order to pass the techniques on to the next generation.
Nishtha Satyam, Head of the UN Women Office in Timor-Leste, said that UN Women is ready to support the Alola Foundation, Timor Aid, and the Secretary of State for Art and Culture (SEAC) to continue empowering Tais Weavers group through capacity building and training, with the aim of increasing the capacity of Tais weavers to manage their Tais business.
Secretary of State for Arts and Culture, Jorge Soares Cristovão, expressed his deep appreciation to UN Women and the Alola Foundation for their continuous support to strengthen the businesses of tais weavers, calling on each group to produce high-quality tais with its distinctive feature.
On December 14th, Timor-Leste Gained International Recognition for Tais, the national traditional textile as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding”.
Timor-Leste praises the approval of the classification of Tais, as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
This distinction represents the first Intangible Cultural Heritage of Timor-Leste and will be very important for the valorization and preservation of this important element of national culture.
The use of Tais is essential in ceremonies of homage, festivals, and cultural and religious rituals. Traditionally it is produced manually by women, in wooden looms, from cotton threads dyed with natural pigments.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
