United Nations emblem

How do you build a nation from the ashes of conflict?
You build with vision, space, voice, trust and confidence

Profile of soldier in white shirt, black officers cap and a scarf featuring Timor-Leste's flagVision tag
Side view of police officers in formationSpace tag
Women in colourful dress plays a drum slung over her shoulderVoice tag
Girl leans against tree looking into cameraTrust tag
Three shirtless men wearing white pants do flips along the beachConfidence tag
Profile of soldier in white shirt, black officers cap and a scarf featuring Timor-Leste's flag

vision

Start with a vision of independence

Side view of police officers in formation

space

Create a safe space in which to build institutions

Women in colourful dress plays a drum slung over her shoulder

voice

Express stories, opinions and ideas

Girl leans against tree looking into camera

trust

Build trust, earn trust and learn to trust

Three shirtless men wearing white pants do flips along the beach

confidence

Gain the confidence to solve problems and rebuild

 

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.