Congratulations to BVATL and all who contributed over the years!
Press Release
Wednesday, 27 August, 2025
Bega Valley Advocates for Timor-Leste awarded the Order of Timor by His Excellency, Ramos Horta, President of Timor-Leste & Nobel Laureate
The Bega Valley Advocates for Timor-Leste (BVATL), were awarded the Order of Timor by His Excellency, President Ramos Horta. David Gallan, President of BVATL, was honoured to accept the award on the group’s behalf.
The Bega Valley Advocates are a friendship group supporting and connecting with the communities on the remote south coast of East Timor. For over 21 years the Advocates have spent over $350 000 on health, agriculture, cultural and education programs.
President Horta thanked the attendees for all they had done in striving to support Timor-Leste while it was occupied, and for the work in rebuilding his country since independence in 2002.
He said that he had learned a lot from the Australian people about solidarity and parliamentary democracy. He noted that the friendship groups had been an influential force in bringing about justice in the oil and sea boundary negotiations.
The ceremony was a good opportunity to catch up with friendship groups and embassy staff that Bega Valley Advocates have had connections with since they began in 2004. These groups included Kangaroo Valley, Blue Mountains and Wangaratta.
BVATL have trained over 25 fully qualified teachers through its scholarship program and currently have four young people studying at the Baucau Institute for Teachers, an institution supported by the Australian Catholic University. These graduates are the enduring legacy of BVATL, teaching in local schools and supporting teachers as consultants with the new curriculum.
Mr Gallan commented, “I pay tribute to the Advocates no longer with us to witness this honour, particularly, Jim & Moira Collins, Jo Chapman and Leona Cairns. The previous work of Father Mick Burke, Allen & Colleen Elton, Chris and Ray Tynan, Tim Holt, Marie Oakley, Don McPhee, Cheryl Turner and Dave Crowden has been outstanding.
Dave Crowden’s brilliant work in the cultural program, taking choirs to Timor and bringing the highly regarded Koru Lian Timor choir to Australia in 2023 were highlights. This year he will also lead young people to an international permaculture gathering in Timor. The fundraiser dinner and concert for this will take place at Bega Uniting Church on September 6 at 6 pm. Tickets can be purchased on Humanitix for $50.”
David also thanked all current and former Advocates and local Rotarians for their contributions. He paid special tribute to Nikolas Klau and Jose da Costa, the two Timorese Liaison Officers employed by BVATL, who were instrumental in all the program achievements since 2004.
Currently, through the generosity of the Tathra Op Shop, Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast and Bendigo Community Bank’s $5300 grant, BVATL are installing 2.5km of water infrastructure in the remote mountain village of Camedar as well as supplying sewing machines for the newly formed Women’s Group there. The Advocates were the first non-Timorese to engage with this very isolated community.
Regards,
Russell Jennings
Email: secretary@sjasc.org.au
Postal: PO Box 352 Pambula NSW 2549
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The Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast acknowledge the Yuin People as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live and work. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.
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