The visit of the delegation of the Economic and Development Affairs Committee of the National Parliament of East Timor to Goa which was held from 20- 26 July 2014 under the motto “Tourism, Economy and Culture – the experience of Goa” was completed with a great success. The visit was based on a program developed by the Lusophone Society of Goa (LSG) with the support of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC).The program started with a Workshop. At the inauguration of the Workshop Prof. Aurobindo Xavier, President of the Lusophone Society of Goa (LSG), Mr. Nikhil Desai, Goa Tourism Director and Mrs. Jacinta Abucau Pereira, Chief of the Delegation and President of “Economic and Development Committee” of the National Parliament of East Timor welcomed the participants. The workshop included several presentations on the policies of Tourism in Goa, on the economy of Goa, on the Historic Heritage and its recovery, on Agriculture and Tourism, the Tourism and Environment, etc.
After the workshop the delegation had the opportunity to visit Old Goa, a Hindu Temple,a spice Plantation and its tourist aspect, to do a Heritage Walk through Fontainhas and the aspects of its preservation, to visit the Fort of Reis Magos and the design of its recovery and Indo-Portuguese Houses adapted for tourism. During the week the delegation visited the Fundação Oriente in Panjim where Prof. Almeida Serra delivered a lecture on the economy of East Timor. To celebrate the visit of the delegation to Goa a photographic exhibition on Timor was inaugurated in Panjim.
At the end of the visit the Committee of the National Parliament of East Timor to Goa and the Lusophone Society of Goa (LSG) agreed to create a Joint Committee Goa-East Timor with representatives of both parties. This Joint Committee should coordinate the exchange of information, the contacts and the subsequent projects between Goa and East Timor.
Please see below the press review and photo gallery.
Press Review
Herald – Jul 22, 2014:
Goa can assist East Timor in its development
Times of India – Jul 23, 2014:
Timor delegation in Goa
Navhind Times – Jul 23, 2014:
Timor Leste to Goa
Herald Café – Jul 23, 2014:
Preserving the lusophone spirit in Goa
Herald Café – Jul 23, 2014:
Timor Leste through the lens
Herald – Jul 27, 2014: Goa is a potential economic and cultural partner
Goa is a potential economic and cultural partner for Timor Leste
Gallery
Fig 1 – “Tourism, Economy and Culture – the experience of Goa”
Workshop at the Conference Room of Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC).
Fig 2 – Walking in Fontainhas (Bairro das Fontainhas in Portuguese), the heritage quarter of the capital city of Panjim. Observing heritage recuperation of an ancient quarter and visiting a guesthouse for tourists.
Fig 3 – Visiting Fundação Oriente (FO), Fontainhas, Panjim
Left: Private talk to the delegation by Mr. Eduardo Carvalho, Director of the FO, about the Work of FO and Portuguese language and culture in Goa.
Right: Public talk by Prof. Antonio Almeida Serra (Economic Advisor of National Parliament of Timor Leste ) with the theme “Timor Leste: a new country on the making”. At FO.
Fig 4 – Courtesy visit to the Portuguese Consul General Mr. António Sabido da Costa at his residence in Altinho, Panjim
Fig 5 – Visit to Old Goa (Religious Tourism). The remains of the city are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here the delegation at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Chapel and tomb of St Francis Xavier.
Fig 6 – Visiting a Spice Plantation in Ponda (Tourism into agriculture with economic advantages).
Fig 7 – A brief visit to Shri Mangeshi Temple in Priol – Ponda (Religious Tourism). One of the largest and most frequently visited temples in Goa.
Fig 8 – The delegation at a small family business. Processing of local agricultural and fish products. Demonstration of wastewater technology.
Fig 9 – Visiting a small guest house: how to take care of tourists in full time and combine it with nature preservation
Fig 10 – The delegation at a touristic place which recreated a traditional village of Goa for tourism purposes.
Fig 11 – Visiting a traditional Indo-Portuguese heritage house converted to tourism visits.
Fig 12 – Lusophone Society of Goa in collaboration with Gallery Gitanjali (Pousada), Fontainhas, Panjim organized a photo exhibition of about 24 photographs in color made by Antonio Serra, with the theme “A touristic glance of East Timor: the country and the people”: public inauguration (left photo) by Prof. Daiananda M.S (Goa University).
Fig 13 – Visiting Reis Magos Fort. How to recuperate a century old fortress and to make it culturally/economically viable for touristic purposes.
Fig 14 – Greeting Most Rev. Filipe Neri Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Daman. At the Bishops Palace, also known as the Patriarchal Palace, Altinho, Panjim.
