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Foundation Laying Ceremony for New MNEC Building, 22 May
2006
A multi-faith blessing and a traditional Timorese ceremony at
5pm today will mark the start of building work on the new Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Head Office in Marconi, Farol,
Dili.
The religious representatives will bless all involved in the
project, while the band "5 do Oriente" and the dancing
group "Sangar Motael" will banish any negative spirits
on the site of the new building and entertain the guests with
the best of Timorese music and dance.
The project is being funded by the People's Republic of China
under the "Cooperation Agreement on Economy and Technology"
signed on March 20, 2001, with the United Nations Transitional
Administration, East Timor (UNTAET).
The Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation,
Dr José Ramos-Horta, thanked the people and Government
of the People's Republic of China for their generous assistance
with this important project.
"The undertaking of this project is a show of strong support
and confidence by the People's Republic of China in the people
and the nation of Timor-Leste," Dr Ramos-Horta said.
"China has proven to be a long term friend of ours giving
many important bilateral project funding for several areas of
development."
Building work is expected to take 15 months and many Timorese
workers will be employed during construction. Eventually the multi-storey
complex will house up to 180 employees, and will include a purpose-built
130-seat auditorium and a special commemorative Peace Garden in
the grounds.
The 6,704 square metre new Ministry headquarters is designed
by the China United Engineering Corporation and is being constructed
by the China Shandong Foreign Economic & Technical Cooperation
Group Company.
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