As Timor-Leste prepares to mark 21 years of independence, a friendship forged with a small coastal community in southern New South Wales continues to deepen.
When the young nation began the enormous task of rebuilding after a prolonged and painful campaign to claim its sovereignty from Indonesia, it forged a network of grassroots alliances with communities across Australia.
Decades later, the relationship between the Bega Valley and the Barique-Natarbora district in Timor-Leste has blossomed, from an initial focus on practical assistance with infrastructure and education, to a two-way cultural exchange.
