UTTLCS Elects New Leadership for 2026–2028, Sets Course for Festa Amicus 2026

Members of the União Trabalhador Timoroan iha Coreia do Sul (UTTLCS) gathered in Gwangju on 5 July 2026 for a milestone community meeting that combined celebration, reflection, and renewal. The session, opened in prayer and presided over by Father Olivio da Costa, brought together His Excellency Ambassador António Benevides, Embassy staff, Sisters Mafalda and Natalina, UTTLCS leadership, and regional coordinators representing Timorese communities across the Gwangju area.

A gathering rooted in gratitude, and a call to look ahead

The agenda moved through remarks from the Gwangju coordinator, the UTTLCS president, and the Ambassador, before turning to the meeting's two central items of business: the restructuring of UTTLCS leadership and preparations for Festa Amicus 2026. What emerged was a community reaffirming its shared identity while organising deliberately for the year ahead.

Ambassador's Address and Recommendations

Ambassador António Benevides opened his remarks by expressing sincere appreciation for the success of Festa Amicus 2025, crediting the contributions of every party involved. He then offered the community two key recommendations to strengthen next year's celebration.

UTTLCS leadership was asked to prepare and send formal invitation letters to the Embassy, enabling it to extend invitations to key institutions such as SEFOPE, BNCTL, and SERVE, as well as ambassadors from ASEAN member states, to attend the Cultural Night. Ambassador António Benevides · Meeting remarks, 5 July 2026

The Ambassador further proposed that His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio be invited to attend the celebration, underscoring the significance the Embassy places on Festa Amicus as both a cultural and diplomatic occasion for the Timorese community in Korea.

Festa Amicus 2026 Registration Fees

Participants reached agreement on the registration structure for next year's event, setting clear and equitable contributions for community members and sports delegations alike.

Community Proposals and Recommendations

The Gwangju coordinator raised an important point of principle: that supporting Festa Amicus's sports competitions should not fall on the shoulders of players alone. Regional coordinators were accordingly asked to mobilise their communities to contribute KRW 10,000 per person, a modest gesture of collective support for the teams that will represent them.

Participants also called for improved facilities, particularly sanitation infrastructure at the host hotel, to safeguard the comfort and wellbeing of everyone attending. Alongside this, regional coordinators were urged to open registration early — for teams, sporting categories, and community members alike — so that preparation and coordination can proceed smoothly in the months ahead.

New UTTLCS Leadership, 2026–2028

The centrepiece of the meeting was the election of a new executive board to guide UTTLCS through the 2026–2028 term. Members voted to approve the following leadership, who will oversee all UTTLCS activities, including the organisation of Festa Amicus 2026.

Participants congratulated the newly elected board and expressed hope that its leadership will continue to strengthen unity, solidarity, and cooperation among the Timorese community in the Republic of Korea.

A Message of Unity and Solidarity

As the meeting drew to a close, an appeal was made to all Timorese residents in Korea not to distance themselves from UTTLCS or from the community's shared activities. Festa Amicus, participants were reminded, belongs to no single group — it is a social asset and a shared interest of the entire Timorese community in the Republic of Korea, an occasion for people to meet, exchange experiences, and deepen the bonds of brotherhood, unity, and solidarity that sustain them while living and working abroad.

Next Meeting: A Technical Meeting in Busan

Participants agreed that the next gathering will take place in Busan, in the form of a Technical Meeting dedicated to the detailed planning of Festa Amicus 2026. That session will focus on organisation, logistics, finance, and coordination among the board, covering the official programme, sporting and cultural activities, committee assignments, accommodation and logistics, registration mechanisms, and strategies to broaden participation across the community.

Participants closed the meeting by reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening unity, solidarity, and the spirit of collective work among Timorese in Korea. Festa Amicus 2026 was described as both a national and a social occasion of deep importance to the community — one intended to reinforce cooperation, friendship, national identity, and brotherhood among Timorese living and working in the Republic of Korea.