Timor-Leste to Host 4th Asian Portuguese Community Conference in 2025

Timor-Leste will host the 4th Asian Portuguese Community Conference (APCC) from June 27 to 29, 2025, at the Dili Convention Center. This event will bring together representatives from Portuguese-descendant communities across Asia, including Malacca (Malaysia), Goa (India), Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Tugu and Flores (Indonesia), Thailand, and Timor-Leste. The conference theme, "United in Diversity — Challenges and Opportunities of Secular Heritage," focuses on preserving cultural heritage and promoting community integration.

The conference program includes official speeches, panel discussions, cultural performances, and documentary screenings. Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and Virgilio Smith, President of the Timor-Leste Tourism Authority, have officially endorsed the event during a recent Cabinet meeting. The highlight of the conference will be the presentation and signing of the Dili Declaration, which aims to establish the Association of Luso-Asian Communities (APCA) to support the sustainability and continued collaboration of these communities.

Organized by a local committee under the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, the event involves multiple ministries, including Tourism and Environment, Foreign Affairs, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, and the Prime Minister’s Office. The conference underscores the historical and cultural importance of the Portuguese legacy in Asia, dating back to the 16th century, when Portuguese communities spread across strategic regions while maintaining their language, Catholic faith, and cultural identity despite assimilation with local cultures.

The APCC 2025 in Dili is expected to strengthen the network of Luso-Asian communities and ensure the preservation of their rich and diverse Portuguese heritage for future generations.