ENGLISH READING CONTEST: Learning to Read English is Fun!
DILI – May 11, 2009 – The Aileu Research and Training Center (ARTC) in partnership with The Asia Foundation and Department of Education of Aileu District will conduct the Third Annual Reading Contest from May 11 to 18 in Aileu. The reading contest will host 114 students from 48 primary, pre-secondary and secondary schools in Aileu District. Reading and speaking English is extremely useful to students because it is the language of international trade and commerce, the predominant language on the Internet, and it is seen as a useful tool in getting jobs and expanding skills.
The contest will be divided into two stages: the first stage will be conducted at the sub district level and the winner of the sub district level for primary, pre-secondary, and secondary school will go on to compete with the winner of other districts at the final stage in Aileu District on May 18, 2009.
The reading contest will be conducted at the Sub District of Laulara on May 11, the Sub District of Remixio on May 12, the Sub District of Lequidoe on May 14, and the Sub District of Aileu Villa on May 15.
Ms. Maria Diamantina Martins, ARTC Director and Reading Contest Organizer, said, “the most satisfying part of this program is that is fosters enthusiasm, not only among the student contestants but also among the school administrators and teachers.”
The Asia Foundation has distributed over 5,000 new English-language textbooks to schools in Aileu District through its Book for Asia program using the Foundation’s Mobile Library mini-bus to reach remote areas.
For this year’s contest, The Asia Foundation provided ARTC with 308 children’s books for the reading contest and has also provided prizes for the winners. All the books are donated by US based publisher such as McGraw-Hill Companies, Pearson, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Island Press.
The Asia Foundation’s Representative in Dili, Mr. Silas Everett, added that “The Foundation’s objective for the contest is to give an opportunity to students throughout Aileu district to develop crucial English reading and speaking skills. This annual contest continues to provide a means for students to improve their skills and appreciation for literacy, reading, and speaking in a fun and stimulating way.”
About The Asia Foundation
The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region. The Foundation supports programs in Asia that help improve governance, law, and civil society; women’s empowerment; economic reform and development; and international relations. Drawing on more than 50 years of experience in Asia, the Foundation collaborates with private and public partners to support leadership and institutional development, exchanges, and policy research.
With offices throughout Asia, an office in Washington, D.C., and its headquarters in San Francisco, the Foundation addresses these issues on both a country and regional level. In 2008, the Foundation provided more than $87 million in program support and distributed over one million books and educational materials valued at $41 million throughout Asia.

Tetum
KONKURSO LEITURA LINGUA INGLES: Sani Inglish Ne’e Furak
DILI – Maiu de 11, 2009 – Centro Recurso no Treinamentu Aileu (ARTC) servicu hamutuk ho The Asia Foundation (Fundasaun Asia) no Departementu da Edukasaun Distritu Aileu halao Konkurso da Leitura ba Dala Tolu hahu husi loron 11 to’o 18 de Maio iha Aileu. Iha konkurso nee hetan partisipasaun husi estudantes hamutuk 114 husi eskola 48 inklui primaria, pre-sekundaria no sekundaria iha distritu Aileu. Le’ no koalia iha lingua Ingles diak tebes ba estudantes sira tamba hanesan lingua Internasional no komercio, lingua ida ne’e be dominante liu iha Internet nomos sai hanesan lingua ne’e fasil liu atu hetan servicu no atu habelar kapasidade.
Konkursu ne’e sei fahe ba parte rua: parte ba dala uluk sei halao iha nivel sub distritu no estudante primaria, pre-sekundaria, no sekundaria nebe’e manan iha nivel sub distritu sei representa nia sub distritu hodi mai kompete fali iha nivel distrital iha Final ne’ebe sei halao iha distritu Aileu iha loron 18 de Maio 2009.
Koncurso da leitura ne’ebe sei halao iha sub-distritu Laulara iha loron 11 de Maio, sub distritu Remexio iha loron 12 de Maio iha sub distritu Lequidoe iha loron 14 de Maio 2009 no iha sub distritu Aileu Vila iha loron 15 de Maio 2009.
Sra. Maria Diamantina Martins, Direitora ARTC nudar organizadora ba konkurso ne’e, hatete katak;” programa ne’e la’os deit hetan antuasismo maka’as husi estudantes sira maibe husi mos direitor da eskola sira nomos profesores sira.”
Fundasaun Asia fahe ona livrus foun hamutuk 5000 iha lingua Ingles ba escola sira iha distritu Aileu liu husi programa Books for Asia (Livru ba Asia) liu husi biblioteka movel Fundasaun nian nebe’e tula livru no fahe to’o to’o iha areas remotas.
Ba konkursu Leitura tinan ida ne’e, Fundasaun Asia fo livru hamutuk 305 kategoria labarik ba ARTC nebe’e sai mos hanesan premio ba kampionato sira husi konkurso ne’e. Livru sira ne’e nudar tulun gratuita husi publicidade iha Estadus Unidus Amerika hanesan McGraw-Hill Companies, Pearson, Hougton Mifflin Harcourt no mos Island Press.
Representante Fundasaun Asia iha Dili, Sr. Silas Everett, hatutan katak; “ Fundasaun Asia nia objective ba konkursu ne’e mak atu fo opurtunidade ba estudantes tomak iha distritu Aileu atu desenvolve no haklean sira nia kapasidade atu le’e (sani) no koalia lingua Ingles. Konkursu anual ne’e sei kontinua sai nudar dalan ida ba estudante sira atu hadia sira nia kapasidade no mos dalan ida hodi apresia literatura, meius atu motive estudante sira liu husi lala’ok nebe’e furak.
Fundasaun Asia
Fundasaun Asia nu’udar organizasaun noun governamental no la lukrativu, iha komitmentu ba desenvolvementu ho paz, prosperiadade, justisa iha regioaun Asia-Pacifiku. Fundasaun Asia suporta program iha Asia maka hanesan ajuda hakbi’it governasaun, justisa no sociadade civil; hakbi’it feto, reforma no dezenvolve ekonomia relasoens internasional. Liu husi esperiencia tinan 50 iha Asia, Fundasaun kolabora ho parseiru no publiku hodi fo tulun ba desenvolvementu lideransa no institusional no kombia no mos peskiza ba politika.
Liu husi edificiu iha Asia laran tomak, no iha Washinton, D.C. nomos quartelgeral iha San Francisco, Fundasaun Asia responde ba asuntu iha nasaun laran no mos iha nivel regional. Iha tinan 2008, Fundasaun Asia fo tulun hamutuk tokon (milyaun) $87 Dollar Amerikanu hodi suporta programa no distribui ona livru hamutuk tokon ida, no material edukasaun ho valores hamutuk tokon $41 Dolar Amerikano iha Asia laran tomak.