LAUTEIN, 23 October 2026 (TATOLI) — Timor-Leste on Thursday welcomed delegates from Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province and Maluku region to the Fronteira 2026 Festival, held in Com, Lautém municipality, from October 23 to 25.
The festival aims to strengthen cross-border relations, promote cultural exchange, the blue economy and raise awareness of environmental protection.
The delegates were welcomed at a dinner on Thursday night attended by government officials and community representatives from both countries to celebrate their shared social and cultural ties.
Minister of State Administration, Tomás do Rosário Cabral, welcomed representatives from the NTT provincial government, Southwest Maluku regency and the islands of Kisar, Alor and Lirang.
Speaking on behalf of the Timor-Leste government and municipal authorities, Cabral thanked the Indonesian delegates for attending the festival.
He described the border as a shared space that connects communities rather than separates them.
“This festival is about strengthening our relations in the border areas,” Cabral said, highlighting the festival’s role in strengthening relationships among people living on both sides of the border.
The festival is organised through cooperation between government institutions, including the State Secretariat for Arts and Culture, and aims to build trust and promote closer ties through cultural activities and dialogue.
First held in Bobonaro municipality in 2023, the festival moved to the Special Administrative Region of Oé-Cusse Ambeno in 2024 and Covalima municipality in 2025. Lautém is hosting the fourth edition from 23 to 25 October.
Beyond cultural exchange and bilateral friendship, Cabral called on participants to use the event to raise environmental awareness, particularly about protecting marine biodiversity and reducing plastic pollution along the coast.
Cabral also thanked the Fronteira Marítima team, Oceano Azul and other organisations supporting the festival. He stressed that environmental protection should extend beyond the three-day event.
He urged Lautém’s municipal authorities and local communities to continue conservation work and coastal clean-up activities after the festival, with support from the government and relevant institutions.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, who also attended the welcome dinner, welcomed the Indonesian delegates and expressed his pleasure at seeing so many people from across the border gathered in Com.
“Welcome. I am very happy to see so many people here,” he said.
Gusmão apologised for arriving late to the dinner and urged participants to use the festival to exchange experiences and strengthen ties.
“Hopefully, over these three days, we can talk and greet one another,” he said.
During the dinner, organisers presented certificates of appreciation to companies supporting the event, including East Timor Trading, Salimagu and Metrolink, alongside other sponsors.
Traditional music performances also formed part of the evening’s programme, welcoming the Indonesian delegates and providing an opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage shared by communities in the two neighbouring countries.
The Fronteira Festival is a cross-border initiative that promotes reconciliation, friendship and cooperation between Timor-Leste and Indonesia through cultural exchange, dialogue and joint environmental initiatives.
Journalist: Cidalia Fátima
Editor: Armandina Moniz
Translation: Filomeno Martins