Awareness campaign on the blue economy and environmental education reaches schools in Aileu
DÍLI, 25 September 2026 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste has stepped up efforts to raise awareness of the blue economy among young people with the installation of a whale-shaped structure in Aileu designed to collect plastic bottles for recycling.
The structure was inaugurated on September 25 by Education Minister Dulce de Jesus Soares during an environmental awareness session for secondary school and Centre for School Learning and Training (CAFE) students in the municipality.
The initiative was organised by the Office for Land and Maritime Borders in coordination with the Ministry of Education and the Aileu Municipal Authority as part of the “Ha’u-nia Tasi, Ha’u-nia Timor” (“My Sea, My Timor”) campaign.
The campaign aims to increase students’ understanding of the blue economy, the importance of marine resources to Timor-Leste and the need to prevent plastic pollution.
The whale-shaped collection point is part of a series of public art installations depicting marine animals, designed to combine environmental awareness with practical waste collection.
The initiative began with the Ikan Azul (Blue Fish) installation in Dili in 2024 and continued with the launch of Lenuk-Tasi (Sea Turtle) in Liquiçá on September 14 this year.
Speaking at the event, Soares said protecting the sea was a shared responsibility that extended beyond coastal communities.
She said environmental education should go beyond classroom lessons and encourage students to adopt practical habits in their daily lives, including responsible waste disposal and protecting natural resources.
The minister also noted that environmental protection, ocean conservation and natural resources are already covered in Timor-Leste’s basic education curriculum and reinforced through activities such as Ocean Week.
Addressing the students, Soares urged them to use the new collection facility responsibly and to share environmental protection messages with their schools and families.
“Caring for our land also means caring for our water. Caring for our water means caring for our sea. And caring for our sea means caring for the future of Timor-Leste,” she said.
Aileu Municipal Authority President Jacinto Ribeiro Dias said the campaign was important even though the municipality has no coastline.
He said the country’s marine resources were part of Timor-Leste’s national heritage and that awareness of the blue economy should therefore extend to students and communities across the country.
The event also included discussions and question-and-answer sessions, allowing students to explore ways young people can contribute to protecting the environment and marine and coastal ecosystems.
The government plans to continue the blue-economy awareness campaign in other municipalities. Activities are scheduled for Manatuto, Baucau and Lautém before being expanded to the remaining municipalities.
TATOLI
