“IN VICTORY BE MAGNANIMOUS, NEVER SEEK TO HUMILIATE THE ADVERSARY; IF HE IS ON HIS KNEES HOLD HIS HANDS, PLEAD WITH HIM TO RISE UP. WALK HALFWAY AND MEET THE VANQUISHED ONES; EMBRACE THEM, INVITE THEM TO JOIN IN A NEW ENTERPRISE OF PEACE, A NEW FUTURE FOR ALL. THIS HAS BEEN MY BELIEF AND IN MANY WAYS THIS HAS BEEN OUR PRACTICE SINCE INDEPENDENCE.”
JOSÉ RAMOS-HORTA
On 21 April, 2022, in a landslide election victory, Dr. José Ramos-Horta was elected President of Timor-Leste for a second term. He had previously served as Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs (2002 – 2006), Prime Minister (2006 – 2007), and President (2007-2012). Dr. Ramos-Horta was sworn into office on May 19 and assumed office on 20 May, 2022, the 20th anniversary of Timor-Leste’s restoration of independence.
A founding father of the first new democracy of the millennium.
In exile for 24 years, he was the lone voice of his people, the people of Timor-Leste (East Timor) as they suffered one of the most brutal occupations of the last century. After leading his country to independence, he served as the President of the century’s newest democracy.
President Ramos-Horta Calls for Immediate Action to Stop the Genocide in Gaza.
“I am the President of Timor-Leste. And I am prepared to take any consequences for my “audacity.” This is not audacity at all, this is a cry of desperation.”
Features:
Nobel Laureate Jose Ramos Horta on Israel and Timor’s future | The Pacific | ABC News
Just over 20 years ago, Timor-Leste became the world’s newest nation. President Jose Ramos-Horta discusses the future of his country and more.[video_lightbox_youtube video_id="nIa2k-9bLRo" width="640" height="480"...
The Road to ASEAN
A look at President Ramos-Horta's, and Timor-Leste's, road to ASEAN, as the nation prepares to step onto the ASEAN stage in October. The aspiration to join ASEAN as an independent member of the economic coalition of Southeast Asian states began in 1974, in a...
Ramos-Horta on BBC News: Timor-Leste to Join ASEAN
On 9 July, 2025, President José Ramos-Horta appeared on NNC World News to discuss Timor-Leste's ascendency to ASEAN. He addresses the objections raised on the side of the Kuala Lumpur summit by members of the military junta in Myanmar, due to Timor-Leste's recognition...
The Diplomat: Timor-Leste Joins ASEAN
In October 2025, Timor-Leste will be officially admitted to ASEAN as its 11th member state. This will mark the realization of the long-standing aspiration for regional integration the young country has had since it won independence in 2002. For ASEAN, it represents...
Ex-world leaders call for ‘powerful shift’ as they warn of extreme inequality
40 former Heads of State and Government are calling for “a new economic coalition of the willing” to urgently tackle inequality and “remake our world in response” to “era-defining disruption”. In a joint letter, originated by the Club of Madrid and signed by President...
Straits Times: Timor-Leste to be granted full Asean membership in October
KUALA LUMPUR – Timor-Leste will become Asean’s 11th member state, with full membership to be granted at the next regional meeting in Kuala Lumpur later in 2025. Announcing this at a press conference on May 27, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim – whose...
News: Articles, Speeches, Videos
President’s Message for International Women’s Day
March 8th, 2025 Dear Citizens of Timor-Leste and Friends Around the World, On this International Women’s Day, I extend my warmest greetings to all women and girls in Timor-Leste and across the globe as we unite under the international theme, “For ALL Women and Girls:...
Global Insecurity: UN has failed the world, says Ramos-Horta
(MSN) President of Timor-Leste and Nobel laureate, José Ramos-Horta, has called for a rethink of governance and leadership structures in Nigeria, emphasizing the need for policies that prioritize national interests over external influences. He noted that Nigeria, as a...
Ramos-Horta Speech: Nigeria and politics as interest
As we honour Professor Babafemi Badejo today, let us draw from his ideas, thoughts, and impacts in scholarship and his dedication to good governance and development. Nigeria’s history is one of resilience, one also of a history shaped by competing interests — of...
President Ramos-Horta Addresses Zayed Human Fraternity Prize Summit
Abu Dhabi, February 3, 2025 The President and Nobel Peace Laureate J. Ramos-Horta, delivered a keynote speech today at the opening of the Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity Summit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The event, hosted by Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam,...
Ramos-Horta at Estoril: Leading a Nation Toward Lasting Peace
Estoril Conferences is an international platform held in Cascais, Portugal, since 2009. It has been attended by Nobel Prize laureates and current and former heads of state. The events provide a platform to promote open dialogue on global challenges. On October 24,...
East Asia Forum: Timor-Leste hits the democratic reset button
In Timor-Leste, incumbent president Francisco ‘Lu-Olo’ Guterres and the Fretilin party were defeated in both the 2022 presidential and 2023 parliamentary elections, marking a return to the conventions established during the state's independence. The election results...
Pope Francis meets with President of Timor-Leste
Pope Francis met on Monday with East Timorese president José Manuel Ramos-Horta in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace. Following the papal audience, President Ramos-Horta met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the...
India PM Modi Pholds bilateral meeting with President of Timor-Leste
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the President of Timor-Leste in Gandhinagar on Jan 09. He held a bilateral meeting with José Ramos-Horta on the sidelines of 10th Vibrant Gujarat Summit. PM Modi will inaugurate the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024 at Mahatma Mandir,...
Ramos-Horta: I never asked Kissinger to apologize for Indonesian invasion
Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta said Friday that he bore no anger towards Henry Kissinger, the former U.S. secretary of state who died this week and had helped greenlight Indonesia’s December 1975 invasion of the former Portuguese colony. But Virgílio da Silva...
Ramos-Horta at UN General Assembly, September, 2023
JOSÉ RAMOS-HORTA, President of Timor-Leste, spotlighting that his country is a young, imperfect and vibrant democracy, “an oasis of peace, tolerance and freedom”, said that, since its independence in 2002, the democracy is “alive and dynamic”. Noting that Timor-Leste...
Speech to Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity
1st June 2023 Speech By J. Ramos-Horta Nobel Peace Laureate President of Timor-Leste Your Excellencies Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, The Hon. OH Young Hun, Excellencies, Distinguished, Esteemed Delegates I’m thankful for the kind invitation...
President Ramos-Horta Honored at Global Baku Forum
Gallery Text of Speech The 10th edition of the Global Baku Forum was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from Mach 9-12. The Forum brought together over 300 participants, including current and former heads of state and government, Nobel laureates, international organizations,...
IMAGES OF TIMOR-LESTE
Timor-Leste in
pictures
See his home through his eyes; the island that was once the scene of mass executions, torture centers and atrocities, enjoying the dividends of peace today.
INTERNATIONAL PEACE BUILDING
Taking peace building to the world.
Through high level missions for the UN Secretary General and other international peace building and diplomatic efforts, Ramos-Horta shares the wisdom of experience to make a better world.