For more information please see press release below:

24 October, 2007

THE PRESIDENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF TIMOR-LESTE APPOINTS MS KIRSTY SWORD GUSMÃO AS ABASSADOR FOR EDUCATION

Today the Chairwoman of the Alola Foundation, Ms Kirsty Sword Gusmão, will be sworn in as Ambassador for Education of Timor-Leste by President, Dr Jose Ramos-Horta.

The honorary position gives recognition of Ms Sword Gusmão's tireless dedication to the education of the men, women and children of Timor-Leste to date, whilst also formalizing a future national and international role in promoting the Government's educational priorities.

"Education is our first priority in giving meaning to our new found freedom and is at the crux of every single development challenge facing Timor-Leste today. I desire a fully literate and multilingual nation, as without that we are condemned to poverty,"said Ms Sword Gusmão.

Ms Kirsty Sword Gusmão graduated from the University of Melbourne with a bachelor of Arts (honours) in 1987. She completed her Diploma of Education the following year. In addition to her native English, Ms Sword Gusmao is a fluent speaker of Bahassa Indonesia, Tetum and Portuguese.

Her passion for all spheres of education has seen Ms Sword Gusmão invest in the education of women and children through the programs of the the Alola Foundation, including maternal and child health, economic empowerment and educational scholarships. As President of the Board of Trustees of the Dili Institute of Technology, she has contributed to the strengthening of the institution through the securing of resources and scholarship opportunities. She has actively raised monies and awareness internationally of the enormity of the educational challenges facing Timor-Leste Libraries and schools bear her name from Dili to Baucau in honour of her contributions. Ms Sword Gusmão is Patron or board member of over nine other organizations dedicated to educating the people of Timor-Leste, a remarkable achievement for one woman whose most important educational quest is that of raising her three young sons, Alexandre, Kay Olok and Daniel.

In her capacity as Ambassador for Education, Ms Sword Gusmão will represent Timor-Leste at international fora where education and educational needs are the focus and facilitate dialogue between key stakeholders, including the government, Church, international and national non-government organizations. Her priority is to ensure that education remains the most important undertaking in combating poverty in her adopted homeland.

The Ambassador for Education is an honorary position and sits outside the organizational structures of the Office of the President and the Government of RDTL. The Ambassador receives no personal remuneration.

"I am humbled by this extraordinary gesture of the President of Timor-Leste and am grateful to serve the people of Timor-Leste by actively promoting the right of all to a quality, modern and relevant education.

"I would like to dedicate this position to the mothers and fathers of Timor-Leste. Those who are responsible for guiding and supporting their children in their education pursuits in the face of overwhelming hardships. To the teachers who remain committed to the furthering their training. And to all who celebrate knowledge as the path to enlightenment."

Further information: Jenny Coles Email: pa_ksg@alolafoundation.org.