Celebrating World Peace Day, Puerto Morazan, Bristol’s twin town
Be the change you want to see in the world Peace mural unveiled on UN World Peace Day at a school in Bristol's twin town of Puerto Morazan. Mural painted by local artist Henry Rojas....
Celebrating 40th anniversary of world renown literacy crusade
This month marks forty years since the end of a six month literacy crusade during which over 400,000 Nicaraguans learnt basic reading and writing skills for the first time. When the Sandinistas came to power in 1979 their key priority was building ‘a new model of society based on equality, well...
El Aporreado: the bean harvest
At this time of the year the rural community of Santa Julia - like families throughout Nicaragua – brings in the harvest of red beans, one of the country’s staple crops. This involves dehulling the beans so that they can be stored for the rest of the year. Nicaragua has a...
Outstanding commitment of solidarity activists recognised
On 15 July the Nicaraguan Embassy held a virtual award ceremony for five UK and Ireland solidarity activists for their long commitment to Nicaragua. Those who received the awards were: * Claire Plumb, former development worker of the Leicester Masaya Link Group. Claire played a key role in developing and strengthening the...
We eat what we grow: food sovereignty, Sandinista Revolution
Testimonies of the campesinas of the Community of Marlon Alvarado Today together with hundreds of thousands of other Nicaraguans, the rural community of Marlon Alvarado in the department of Carazo will be celebrating the 41st anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution. The community, part of the 46,000 member Nicaraguan Rural Workers Association (ATC),...
UK twin town support for Nicaragua COVID-19 related projects
Over the past new months NSC affiliated twin towns and other groups have adapted the ways that the work in order to provide ongoing solidarity for Nicaraguan organisations and communities. This has focused particularly on support for COVID-19 related projects. Bristol Link with Nicaragua (BLINC) Key areas of work: liaising closely with...
Rio Coco designated first UNESCO Geopark, Central America
On 7 July, the Río Coco Geopark, northern Nicaragua, was officially designated by UNESCO as the first Geopark in Central America. The Rio Coco joins 146 locations across 41 countries that form part of the UNESCO Global Geopark Network. This recognition is the culmination of years of work by the Nicaraguan government...
Renowned Nicaraguan poet and priest Ernesto Cardenal dies aged 95
‘We come from the stars, and to them we shall return.’ Ernesto Cardenal Three days of national mourning have been declared by the Nicaraguan government to mark the death at the age of 95 of one of Latin America’s best known poets. Born to a wealthy Nicaraguan family, Father Cardenal became a...
Nicaragua organic Fairtrade coffee farmer visits London
Nicaraguan Fairtrade coffee farmer Gloria Talavera visited London 20 – 22 February as a guest of the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign. Gloria belongs to the Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (UCA) SOPPEXCCA which has 650 members producing organic Fairtrade coffee for export and organic cacao, fruit and vegetables for local consumption. Women from the...
The Nicaraguan deaf children who invented a new language
In the 1980s deaf children in Nicaragua invented a completely new sign language of their own. This remarkable achievement allowed experts a unique insight into how human communication develops. US linguist Judy Shepard-Kegl documented the emergence of what is now known as Nicaraguan Sign Language. In this BBC video she explains how...