DILI, 12 january 2024 (TATOLI) – The Government of Japan, through its Embassy in Dili, has granted US$68,324 to rehabilitate the Xanana Gusmão Reading Room (XGRR) library building.
The grant agreement was signed by the Ambassador of Japan to Timor-Leste, Tetsuya Kimura, and the Program Manager of Xanana Gusmão Reading Room, Maria Amaral Guterres, on friday, in Dili.
Ambassador Kimura said that the rehabilitation project will provide a good learning environment for students and all those who visit the place to read.
He said that improving the XGRR’s learning environment would help students acquire new knowledge and culture by reading the various books available in the library.
XGRR Manager, Maria Amaral Guterres said the support was given through Japan’s Cultural Grant Assistance known as Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects (GCGP), which aims to facilitate cultural exchanges and deepen friendship and mutual understanding between Japan and its partner countries by providing funds to non-profit organizations of those countries to equip and construct/rehabilitate facilities that contribute to the promotion of culture and higher education.
“This money will be used for the rehabilitation of this library, including the meeting room, the exhibition center, the fence, the sidewalk, etc.” she said.
At the same place, the Minister of Education, Dulce de Jesus, expressed her gratitude for the support: “On behalf of the Government of Timor-Leste and the staff members of the XGRR team, I would like to thank the Japanese government and its embassy in Dili for their support.”
More than 200 students visit the XGRR every month to read books, take part in group discussions, and so on.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
