DILI, 07 October 2025 (TATOLI) – The Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Timor-Leste marked EU Media Day today, an initiative aimed at promoting transparency, access to information, and the value of independent journalism. The event recognized the essential role of the media in strengthening democracy and protecting human rights.
The celebration took place at the Centro Nacional Chega in Balide, Dili, bringing together journalists, diplomats, government officials, and institutional partners. Its main goal was to strengthen dialogue with the media and deepen understanding of the EU’s role in international politics and in the Southeast Asian region.
In his remarks, the EU Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Thorsten Bargfrede, gave a detailed explanation of how the European bloc functions and operates on the global stage. He underscored the importance of a free press in promoting informed and democratic societies.
“The European Union is neither an international organization nor a single country — we are somewhere in between,” he said. “We have European laws, a European Parliament, and an executive body called the European Commission, which represents the collective interests of our 27 Member States.”
The Ambassador recalled that the EU was founded as a peace project and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 for preventing armed conflict in Europe after two devastating world wars.
“The European Union emerged in the 1950s as an effort to place the coal and steel industries under joint management,” Bargfrede explained. “Over the years, it evolved into a customs union, a monetary union, and a unified internal market.”
He also emphasized that the EU possesses foreign and security policy instruments, including defense missions and development cooperation programs. The EU remains the world’s largest provider of official development assistance and maintains an open trade policy, with free trade agreements under negotiation with countries such as Indonesia and Thailand.
“The EU firmly supports the United Nations, the international legal order, human rights, and democracy,” the Ambassador added.
The program continued with a screening of the documentary External Affairs, which highlights the work of the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The film includes insights from Josep Borrell, former High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission, and Kaja Kallas, former Prime Minister of Estonia.
Following the screening, a discussion session with Ambassador Bargfrede allowed journalists and guests to engage directly. The debate also featured Antoine Ripoll, Minister Counsellor for Parliamentary Affairs at the EU Delegation to ASEAN, who discussed the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation, inter-regional dialogue, and the global projection of the EU’s foreign policy.
Journalist: Afonso do Rosário
Editor: Isaura Lemos de Deus
Translation: Camilio de Sousa
