His Excellency the Vice Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister of Tourism and Environment, Dato’ Seri Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, participated in the Asian Portuguese Community Conference (APCC), held at the Dili Convention Center (CCD), which began in the afternoon of Friday, June 27, and will conclude on June 29, 2025.

The APCC Conference was officially opened by His Excellency the President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, and was attended by members of the Luso-Asian community from places such as Lifau (Oe-Cusse Ambeno), Flores, Jakarta (Indonesia), Goa (India), Malacca (Malaysia), and also Sri Lanka.

On the first day of the conference, an association called the Asian Portuguese Communities Association (APCA) was also launched, with the aim of further strengthening and facilitating communication and collaboration within the Luso-Asian community.

The President of the Republic, José Ramos-Horta, stated that APCA serves as a platform to address key issues related to education, culture, research, economic development, and the further internationalization of the Portuguese language.

President Horta emphasized that the APCC Conference is extremely important for revisiting past histories with honesty and for continuing to strengthen mutual solidarity within the Luso-Asian community.

APCC was founded in Malacca, Malaysia, in 2016, with the objective of bringing together communities that continue to preserve the Portuguese heritage and legacy in Asia.

The conference is organized by the IX Constitutional Government in partnership with the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).

The theme of the 4th APCC Conference is:
“United in Diversity: Challenges and Opportunities of a Centuries-Old Legacy.