DILI, 12 May 2026 (TATOLI) — Timor-Leste’s Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs, Mariano Assanami Sabino, said the media plays a crucial role in state-building in democratic countries such as Timor-Leste, as he closed the 2026 Dili Dialogue Forum on Tuesday in Dili.
The international conference, held under the theme “The Role of Media for a Peaceful Future,” brought together journalists, editors, students, media regulators, international organisations and development partners to discuss the challenges and future of journalism in Timor-Leste and Southeast Asia.
In his closing remarks, Sabino called on media professionals to continue reflecting on challenges facing the sector, encourage public debate and seek practical solutions to difficulties encountered in the profession.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by journalists, including low salaries and difficult working conditions, while praising their continued efforts to deliver credible information to the public.
“I understand well the challenges journalists face. Despite the difficulties, they continue to work day and night to provide credible information to the population,” Sabino said.
“As Vice Prime Minister, in coordination with the State Secretariat for Social Communication, we will continue supporting media professionals,” he added.
Sabino also urged Timor-Leste’s Press Council to strengthen coordination with media organisations and expand training initiatives for journalists, particularly in response to technological changes and challenges posed by the digital environment.
Participants at the forum highlighted the role of the media in promoting public debate, freedom of expression and critical thinking, describing these as essential to strengthening democracy and ensuring public access to factual and reliable information.
Recommendations issued during the conference included strengthening press freedom and freedom of expression, promoting ethical and investigative journalism, combating disinformation and sensationalism, and developing guidelines for peace journalism in Timor-Leste.
Participants also called for continued capacity-building programmes for local journalists through cooperation between the Press Council, state institutions, international organisations, development partners and professional associations.
Organised by Timor-Leste’s Press Council, the Dili Dialogue Forum has been held annually since 2017 as a platform for sharing experiences and discussing challenges and developments in the media sector in Timor-Leste and the wider Southeast Asian region.
The eighth edition of the forum gathered representatives from media organisations, journalists, editors, university students, Press Council members, international organisations and other national and international stakeholders.
The conference was opened by Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice Virgílio da Silva Guterres, known as Lamukan, and featured presentations from national and international speakers on the role of media in promoting peace, human rights and democracy.
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