DILI, 01 June 2025 (TATOLI) — Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão has urged all citizens to take care of the environment and prevent harm to marine biodiversity.
“Why does the world celebrate Ocean Week? It is a call for all of us to care for the environment. If we do not take care of ourselves now, our future generations will suffer from climate change caused by human actions,” Xanana stated during the opening of World Environment and Ocean Day at Tasi Tolu on Sunday.
He highlighted the dangers of improper waste disposal, such as throwing plastic, cans, and other materials into the ocean, which threatens marine life and degrades the ecosystem. He explained that these concerns are central to World Ocean Week.
Timor-Leste, Xanana pointed out, is located among major nations with significant CO2 emissions from industrial development. Although Timor-Leste itself produces minimal CO2, he called on everyone to be responsible for environmental protection.
“Timor-Leste is a small nation and a small island, but it has one of the richest marine biodiversity in the world,” Xanana stated.
He also encouraged Timorese citizens to invest in economic development, particularly in the blue economy.
“It’s not enough to simply take computer courses and learn technology for office jobs. We have wealth in the ocean, and the government will establish a blue economy park or center in Ataúru, so Timorese people can learn more,” he added.
World Ocean Day is officially observed on June 8, and Timor-Leste, along with other nations, celebrates it as part of World Ocean Week.
To mark the occasion, the government is organizing various activities, including coastal cleanups with international observation teams and a palace design competition for students.
“We will have activities throughout the week in various municipalities. These will include cleaning coastal and marine areas as well as student competitions,” Xanana concluded.
Journalist: Felicidade Ximenes
Editor: Xisto Freitas
Translation: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
