León, Nicaragua - Twinned 1986
León is Nicaragua's former capital and second-largest city. Long-established as the intellectual and political centre of Nicaragua, it is home to the oldest university in Central America - the Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN), founded in 1813 - and a stunning baroque cathedral, Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of León.
Nicaragua is subject to volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and tidal waves, which have a devastating effect on the poorer sections of the population.
The Oxford León Association and Trust (OLAT) organises fund-raising events for charities in León, including supplying clean water to villages whose water is contaminated by naturally occurring arsenic; giving training in agro-ecology to farmers; and education and support projects for children and families experiencing poverty. OLAT supports cultural exchanges and a highlight of an annual programme is the Oxford-based annual performance of ‘La Misa Campesina’, the Nicaraguan "Peasant Mass", consisting of vibrant folk-songs, written during the revolution in Nicaragua and still celebrated throughout the country.
For more information, please contact: Oxford León Association and Trust
