 |
| Their Excellencies President Jose Ramos-Horta and Minister of Tourism, Commerce and Industry, Gil Alves, perform the opening ceremony for the Sunset Fair |
Thank you very much for joining us at tonight’s Grand Opening of the Dili Sunset Fair. From October 6th, the Sunset Fair will run every Wednesday throughout the dry season; I believe that we will see it go from strength to strength to become a favourite fixture on the tourism events calendar.
It will serve as a showcase for international and domestic tourists to appreciate the range of food, entertainment and handicrafts available in this country.
This event is modeled on the hugely successful Mindil Sunset Beach Markets in Darwin and we are delighted to announce that the Mindil Markets Association will be acting as our partner in developing the Sunset Fair.
We are honoured to welcome a delegation from Darwin here tonight. They are going to be working with the Sunset Fair Association in the long term, sharing an impressive variety of skills and experience in support of their Timorese counterparts–everything from circus performance to fair administration and restaurant management .
I would like to thank them for their dedication and valuable contribution to private sector and tourism development in Timor-Leste. Together we will work towards enhancing the creativity, diversity and quality of the products and experiences offered at the Sunset Fair.
I would also like to thank our sponsors, Airnorth, for facilitating the participation of the Mindil Sunset Markets Association. Airnorth is a steady supporter of tourism development in Timor-Leste, acting as a bridge between Dili and Darwin and as a ready partner in the increasing number of special events that are being staged to attract visitors to Timor-Leste.
Airnorth’s slogan, “Together We Fly” symbolizes the growing relationship that Timor-Leste shares with the Northern Territory, as we work towards our common goals of prosperity and friendship.
Thanks are also due to the Timorese entertainer Boy Clemens – who will be performing here tonight - and the television company Valsa Productions, for their creative contributions as Sunset Fair promotional sponsors.
The Sunset Fair is the result of the combined efforts of these partners and sponsors with those of the cross-sectoral Organising Committee, which has coordinated contributions from a diverse range of State and Civil society participants. Under the auspices of the National Directorate of Tourism, the Organising Committee has demonstrated that good teamwork can produce impressive results.
This exciting new event will create economic benefits for years to come and I am looking forward to sharing the public’s enjoyment of the Dili Sunset Fair. I hope you have a wonderful evening and thank you for coming".
 |
| Boy Clemens rocks the Sunset Fair |
 |
| Timorese ladies look on as Flick and Fairy reveal the secret of their height |
 | ||
| Ministers, Secretaries of State, The President and the Prosecutor General in the VIP section |
