How do you build a nation from the ashes of conflict?

A crisis unfolded in East Timor in 1999 that left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, killed more than 1,200 and destroyed most of the country’s houses, schools and other infrastructure.

From these desolate conditions the new nation of Timor-Leste emerged, and overcame serious internal political and security challenges between 2006 and 2008.

Today, Timor-Leste  is a place of peace, democracy, celebration and optimism, a place where new infrastructure, public investment and services are growing.

How did the Timorese achieve so much momentum in just over a decade?

While this was a complex process, it is possible to view and draw lessons from Timorese achievements within five important areas: Vision, Space, Voice, Trust and Confidence. Through photos and videos, this portrait presents Timor-Leste’s inspiring story around these five blocks of nation-building.

As UN peacekeepers depart Timor-Leste in late 2012, the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) offers this portrait to celebrate the momentum the Timorese have attained in their first decade of independence and express the Mission’s gratitude for the opportunity to support their remarkable journey from conflict to development.