Dili, 15 October 2026 – The Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, Virgílio da Silva Guterres “Lamukan”, participated in the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Centro Nacional Chega! I.P. and the National University of Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL), held at the Ian Martin Hall of INFORDEPE, Balide, Dili. The agreement establishes cooperation in three key areas: developing curricula and teaching methodologies focused on peace education, history, human rights and transitional justice; sharing relevant resources, including archives, libraries, historical sites and museums; and promoting joint research, thematic training, academic conferences, lectures, scientific events, seminars and other academic exchanges. The MoU was signed by Hugo Maria Fernandes, Executive Director of Centro Nacional Chega! I.P., and Professor Dr. Joviano Antonio da Costa, Rector of UNTL. The ceremony was attended by Vice-Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs, as well as Acting Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture, Mariano Assanami Sabino, alongside other invited guests.
The event was held in conjunction with the official launch of the Department of History and Psychology and the anniversary celebration of the Faculty of Philosophy and Human Sciences at UNTL. The cooperation aims to strengthen historical education, preserve the country’s collective memory, and promote human rights and transitional justice through academic teaching, research and institutional collaboration. The programme continued with presentations and discussions, including a presentation by Hugo Maria Fernandes on the role of the UNTL Department of History in preserving and developing Timor-Leste’s history. The participation of Ombudsman Virgílio da Silva Guterres reflects the importance of collaboration between academic institutions and organisations working to preserve historical memory, promote human rights education and advance the recommendations arising from the country’s past experiences.
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