New Haven/León Sister City Project

The NH/LSCP has been organizing delegations of US citizens to Nicaragua since its founding in 1984; and in 2007 celebrated the 1,000^th delegate mark.  The primary purpose of an NH/L delegation is to expose US citizens to the broader context of what they find in Nicaragua, and to ask them to think critically and creatively when making connections between their own lives and the lives of Nicaraguans. 

Delegations can be tailored to address the specific interests of a group; but all delegates are introduced to the Spanish conquest and US intervention, the Sandinista revolution and the US-backed Contra war, and current international economic policies, with particular attention paid to the impacts of these factors on Nicaraguans struggling to confront poverty with sustainable community-based initiatives.  Delegates stay with host families in a neighborhood of León.

Delegates also have the opportunity to enjoy some of the natural beauty of Nicaragua’s volcanoes, beaches, lakes, and forests. 

Most delegations are organized through existing institutions such as schools, universities, or places of worship.  Staff in New Haven provides support for pre-departure orientation meetings.  We encourage teachers, students, and peer leaders to organize delegations; and return home ready to share what they’ve seen and learned, and to invite others into more sustained support for and solidarity with Nicaraguans. 

If you are interested in joining a delegation or in organizing a group, please call (203) 562-1607 or email Chris Schweitzer at cschweitzer@newhavenleon.org.