The Secretariat of State of Art and Culture (SEAK) intends to establish an Art and Culture Training Centre in Dili to help develop local capacity and talent in the arts and culture sector.
“We announced last month we will build a cultural centre and library in Hudi Laran,” said the General Director of Art and Culture at SEAK, Cecilia Assis, at the Dili Convention Centre.
GD Assis said the Ministry of Justice through its State Secretariat for Land and Property already allocated 27,000 square metres of land for building the training centre and library in Hudi Laran. The site will also accommodate an Academy of Art and Culture.
“There is already a donor that will support the government build the library and the cultural centre. The donor is a company exploring oil in the Timor Sea,” said DG Assis.
The company, ENI, committed USD$10 million to the Timor-Leste government for the project.
He said the funds will be used to build the centre as well as equip it with computers, tables and chairs and for the purchase of other materials and equipment.
Meanwhile, State Secretary SEAK, Maria Isabel Ximenes, said culture is also a tourism tool that should be explored.
“Many people have come to warn us that if we don’t preserve our culture it will disappear,” said SE Ximenes.
Eka Freitas da Costa a performer in a traditional dance group from Baucau District said the art and culture training centre will be very important so talented youth in arts and culture can increase their capacity.
“I think it is very important for traditional groups to keep improving our talent,” said Da Costa.
She hopes the government will implement this initiative quickly.
“We are from Baucau and we have won many times at festivals but we feel our knowledge is still limited.”
