In
December 1996, Dr. José Ramos-Horta
shared the Nobel Peace Prize with
his fellow countryman Bishop Carlos
Filipe Ximenes Belo.
The Committee chose to honor the
two laureates for their "sustained
efforts to find diplomatic solution
to the conflict of East Timor based
on the people's right to self determination.
The Committee considers Dr. José
Ramos-Horta the leading international
spokesman for East Timor's cause
since 1975.
Personal data
Date and place of birth: 26.12.1949,
Dili -Timor-Leste
Marital status: Divorced
Children: One son
Normal residence: Dili and Sydney
Current positions
Senior Minister, Minister for Foreign
Affairs and Cooperation, Timor-Leste
Visiting Professor, Faculty of Law,
University of New South Wales, Sydney
(1996-uptodate )
Distinguished Visiting Professor,
University of Victoria, Melbourne
(2000-uptodate )
Other active positions
Acting president, Uma Fukun, East
Timor Cultural Centre, Dili
Member of the Council of Honour,
University of Peace, Costa Rica
Member of the Nobel Peace Commission
on Arms Control
Co-President, State of the World
Forum, San Francisco, CA
Founder, lecturer and member of
the Board of Directors, Diplomacy
and Human Rights
Program, Faculty of Law, University
of New South Wales, Sydney
Founder and main benefactor, "JRH
Micro-Credit Program for the Poor"
Honorary Chairman, Timor Aid, Dili,
Timor-Leste
Major international conferences
attended
In the course of many years, attended
and actively participated in numerous
thematic international conferences
dealing with self-determination
and de-colonization, human rights,
law of the sea, world criminal court,
small arms and disarmament, etc.
Below some highlights:
United Nations General Assembly,
New York (since 1976)
UN Commission on Human Rights, Geneva
(since 1979)
Security Council (numerous times)
Special Committee on De-colonization
(since 1976)
The Hague Peace Appeal (1999)
Forum 2000, Prague, hosted by President
Vaclav Havel
State of the World Forum (in San
Francisco, Dublin, New York)
World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland,
January 2000.
Second World Human Rights Conference,
Vienna (1993)
Nobel Peace Prize Lawreates meeting
in Charlotville, Virginia, US (1997)
Major International Awards
2001 - Hollywood Film Festival Humanitarian
Award
2000 - Gold Medal of the President
of Italy
1999 - First Hague Peace Appeal
Award
1998 - Gold Medal of the University
of Coimbra
1998 -The Gran Cross of the Order
of Freedom, President of Portugal
1997 - Medal of the University of
San Francisco
1996 - Nobel Peace Prize, Oslo
1996 - First UNPO Freedom Prize,
The Hague
1995 - International Peace Activist
Award, Gleitsman Foundation, CA
1993 - Professor Thorof Rafto Human
Rights Award, Bergen.
Previous professional positions
(1969-1974)
Reporter, editor, photojournalist
Radio announcer, TV correspondent
Early political activities and
positions (1975-1990)
Secretary for Foreign Affairs and
Information, ASDT (Timorese Social
Democratic Association (1974).
Minister for External Relations
and Information, RDTL (1975-78)
FRETILIN Representative to the United
Nations and the US (1976-1990).
Special government experience
1986–1988
Media Adviser to the government
of Mozambique based in Washington.
In this position, helped prepare
high level visits to the US by Mozambican
leaders, including the President
and Foreign Minister, establish
Mozambique’s first lobby in
Washington, develop relations with
the Administration and Congress,
and with the Media.
1989–1998
Special Representative of the National
Council of Maubere Resistance (CNRM)
and Personal Representative of the
leader of the Resistance, Xanana
Gusmao.
Vice-President, National Council
of Timorese Resistance (CNRT), elected
at the CNRT founding National Convention,
held in Lisbon, April1998, re-elected
at the first National Congress held
in East Timor, August 2000 (April
1998-June 2001).
Academic background
Diploma, Executive Program for Leaders
in Development, Harvard University
(1998)
Master of Arts in Peace Studies,
Antioch University, USA (1984)
Senior Fellow in International Relations,
St. Antony's College, Oxford University
(1987)
Post-graduate courses in American
Foreign Policy at Columbia University
(1983)
Public International Law, the Hague
Academy of International Law (1984)
International Human Rights Law,
the International Institute of Human
Rights, Strasbourg, France (1984).
Diploma in Advanced Studies in Public
Relations, International Centre
for Marketing (1973).
Senior High School and elementary
school in East Timor (1964 -1969).
Elementary School, Catholic Mission
School, Soibada (1957-1964).
Degrees Doctor Honoris Causa
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