DILI, 11 july 2023 (TATOLI) – The National Center Chega (CNC), within the scope of its 6th anniversary of existence, held a scientific seminar today with the theme “Developing the history of the community to produce a narrative balance: discussion of theory and practice.
Hugo Maria Fernandes, Executive Director of the CNC, stated that the event, which was attended by national and international researchers, academics, activists, civil society, and students, aimed to discuss and exchange ideas on the balance of the country’s historical narrative of national liberation, particularly to conduct research on the contribution of the community at the village level.
“On this conference, CNC invited several researchers from universities in Portugal, Australia, Brazil, Italy, and Canada to share their experiences on the practice of writing the history of communities in their respective countries. During the past four years, the CNC has been documenting the contribution of each individual in the struggle for national liberation, and then the data will be used to write books about the involvement of communities in the process of self-determination”, Hugo Fernandes told journalists in Balide Dili on tuesday.
According to CNC Fernandes, there are now various books that exclusively detail the history of national leaders’ engagement in the country’s independence, but there are rarely recorded papers about the contributions of the population at the village level.
In this regard, Fernandes stated that the CNC has written and published certain historical books on the contributions of the population in capital villages such as Bairro-Pité, Colmera, Vila-Verde, Comoro, and Lahane, as well as some cuckoos in Manatuto and Maubisse in Ainaro.
“It is important that there is a balance in the narrative about the contribution of each citizen who lives in remote villages, since their participation is significant and contributes to national history”, he stressed.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Culture (MESCC), José Honório Jerónimo, who praised the CNC’s role in conserving and maintaining national history, particularly chronicling Timorese contributions to the war for independence.
“The elaboration of history about the involvement of each citizen in our self-determination is relevant so that new generations can learn about the country’s historical past. Our independence relies on the contribution of all Timorese”, he said.
Jeronimo further stated that the MESCC will support all CNC attempts to incorporate them into the school curriculum in both secondary and higher education.
The CNC’s mission is to support the Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation’s (CVAR) recommendations to institutionalize remembrance and promote human rights via education, training, and solidarity with the most vulnerable survivors of human rights crimes.
By commemorating historic events, mapping historic sites, organizing educational tours that allow students to visit historic sites and hear survivors’ testimonies, and creating spaces for the interjectional transmission of memories, the institution engages with the community, both the public and survivors.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
