G—NEWS (DILI) – On November 9, the U.S. Embassy in Dili joined the Government of Timor-Leste for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Ensinu Báziku Filial (EBF) Mota Ulun. This event signified the completion of a two-classroom schoolhouse project, representing the final event of the Pacific Partnership 2026 mission and the latest project completed by the U.S. Navy Seabees in Timor-Leste.
The official ceremony featured remarks from Chargé d’Affaires Bruce Begnell, General Director of Ministry of Education for Pre-Schools and Basic Education Apolinário Serpa Rosa, and the EBF Mota Ulun Principal and the F-FDTL.
The event also included a presentation by students, a formal blessing of the school by a priest, and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque.
Over the preceding weeks, U.S. Navy Seabees—specifically from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Five and Amphibious Construction Battalion One—and engineers from the Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) dedicated their craftsmanship and diligence to constructing the new schoolhouse.
Working shoulder-to-shoulder, the joint engineering teams demonstrated a shared commitment to the enduring friendship between the United States and Timor-Leste.
“As we dedicate this new classroom building, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and realize their full potential,” said U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Bruce Begnell. “Through Pacific Partnership, the United States demonstrates its enduring friendship and shared commitment to the future of Timor-Leste. May this building stand as a lasting symbol of hope, opportunity, and our shared conviction that investing in education is investing in a stronger, more prosperous future.”
Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific.
Born out of the U.S. military’s response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the mission brought together service members from Timor-Leste, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the United States this year to strengthen regional interoperability and disaster preparedness.
This year concluded the eighth iteration of the mission in Timor-Leste. Through this robust mission, the United States brought over 50 medical personnel to the country, treated and trained more than 1,200 Timorese nationals, conducted a series of disaster response trainings, and successfully refurbished an additional school, EBF Kasnafar, in Dili.
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