DILI, 23 September 2025 (TATOLI) – In a significant step toward promoting environmental education and wildlife conservation, President and Nobel Peace Laureate José Ramos-Horta today inaugurated a new Mini Zoo within the grounds of the Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace.
The initiative establishes a center for education, recreation, and conservation, offering the public—especially children—a unique opportunity to connect with local and domestic animals. The Mini Zoo is designed to provide hands-on experiences that foster empathy, care, and respect for nature from an early age.
In the inauguration Ceremony, President Ramos-Horta stated, “Through this Mini Zoo, we connect our children to nature, providing education and fostering respect for our animal life. It is a pledge for the future, a promise that we will stop the capture of our wild birds and instead learn to cherish them, ensuring that the next generation will be stewards of a richer, more diverse Timor-Leste.”
The President underscored the critical need for compassion and respect towards animals, urging the public to refrain from killing or arbitrarily capturing wildlife. President Ramos-Horta shared an inspiring, forward-looking message to the children stated, “This Palace, the garden, the zoo, belong to you. The future belongs to you, and one of you could someday become President.”
The opening of the Mini Zoo marks a new chapter in the nation’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the conservation of its native wildlife.
TATOLI
