DILI, 02 June 2025 (TATOLI) – As part of World Ocean Week (WOW) 2025, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão visited Kasamou Hamlet in Seloi Kraik village, Aileu municipality to officially inaugurate a ceremonial plaque titled “The Sea Starts Here! Blue Economy, from the Mountain to the Sea.”
The ceremony marked the launch of a pilot initiative promoting environmental awareness and marine and water bodies conservation practices across the country, representing the government’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development.
During the ceremony, Prime Minister Gusmão spoke about the theme “The Sea Starts Here! Blue Economy, from the Mountain to the Sea,” emphasizing that WOW 2025 is a week dedicated to celebrating World Ocean Day, which is observed on June 8.
Prime Minister Gusmão highlighted the importance of World Ocean Day and the connection between inland activities and the ocean’s health.
He emphasized that water from municipalities and villages ultimately reaches the ocean and can have a negative impact on coastal areas such as the capital Dili, Manatuto, and Liquiça, if waste disposal is improperly done.
The Prime Minister called for increased awareness and urged communities to collect and dispose of waste responsibly to protect marine ecosystems.
This initiative is one of the key elements of the IX Constitutional Government’s national agenda to develop Timor-Leste’s Blue Economy to promote sustainable development across land and marine ecosystems, aiming to secure a healthy and resilient environment for future generations of Timorese.
Aileu Municipality is one of Timor-Leste’s two landlocked municipalities and was chosen to reinforce the message that My Sea! My Timor! begins in the mountains of the country, flows down to the sea, and returns from the sea to the mountains. This event underscores the interconnectedness of inland water resources and coastal marine ecosystems.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
