Portuguese Ambassador visits ICFP
On Saturday, 13 May 2023 the Portuguese Ambassador, Senhora Manuela Bairos visited the Institute and officially opened a special Portuguese festival. She was welcomed with a cultural dance presentation by the students and the offering of a tais, a symbol of friendship by Br Paul.
During this year the Portuguese embassy has been promoting the learning of Portuguese, one of Timor-Leste’s official languages, and this gathering was a special opportunity to showcase the students’ talents.
As part of the festivity, six different traditional dances were performed, representing regions of the country. There was also a fashion parade where the students wore outfits from their Municipalities. Both activities were received enthusiastically by their fellow students and the Ambassador was clearly enjoying herself.
The gathering concluded with a luncheon. All the food was prepared by the students and a whole range of delicious dishes were prepared. There were several groups who spoke with the Ambassador and invited her to taste their offerings. She was suitably impressed!
Congratulations to all involved in this special gathering. Thank you to the teachers who organized the activities and to the many students who worked so well together to make this a memorable occasion for all involved. The Ambassador was delighted by her visit and spoke glowingly about the students’ speaking of Portuguese.
