Dili, January 17, 2026 (Média Democracia) – The international floating library ship Doulos Hope arrived at the Port of Dili at around 10:40 a.m., carrying about 100 volunteers and crew members from different countries. The purpose of the visit is to host a public book fair from 16 to 28 January 2026 in Timor-Leste before departing again. The ship arrived at the Port of Dili on Thursday this week.
The National Director of Tourism Marketing and International Relations, Edson Lopes, said that the visit of Doulos Hope to Timor-Leste is the result of cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and other relevant ministries, particularly to promote tourism sites in Timor-Leste and attract foreign visitors.
“Tomorrow, the book fair will be officially opened to the public. The fair itself will be held onboard the ship at the Port of Dili. In addition, the opening ceremony will be attended by President of the Republic José Ramos-Horta, several members of the Government, and ambassadors accredited to Timor-Leste,” said Edson Lopes.
He explained that although the ship has already arrived at the port, passengers are not yet allowed to disembark, as they must first undergo inspections by the National Directorate of Maritime Transport, immigration, quarantine, and health authorities.
“The advantage of this ship’s visit is that it helps promote Timor-Leste to the world. We know that many countries are still unfamiliar with Timor-Leste, so activities like this are very important for promotion. The volunteers on board come from 35 different countries, with a total of about 100 people. This will help promote Timor-Leste as a nation that upholds peace and stability,” he added.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Doulos Hope ship from the Philippines, Mae Gabrillo, invited the public to visit the book fair, emphasizing that the activity is very important, especially for students in Timor-Leste, as it provides access to valuable reading materials and new knowledge.
“Tomorrow the fair will be open to the public. Regarding access rules, visitors under 18 years old can enter for free, while those aged 19 and above will pay an entrance fee of US$0.20. Onboard the library, we have around 2,000 books of various types, and we encourage the public, especially students, to come, read, and gain new references,” she said.
She added that access to the fair will not be unlimited at one time, as only 300 visitors will be allowed per session each hour. After one session ends, visitors will exit to allow others to enter, ensuring rotation so more people have the opportunity to access and read books onboard.
Further explaining, once officially opened, the fair will be open to the public from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the first day. On the following days, it will open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Doulos Hope ship is scheduled to depart Timor-Leste on 29 January 2026.
Report: Nelfiano
Photo: Nelfiano