History
The story so far...
In 1995 the Irish Nicaragua Support Group commissioned research, with funding from the NCDE, on the feasibility of setting up a Latin America Centre in Ireland. The positive conclusions were reported to the INSG AGM of November that year.
Two Central America Week/NODE workshops considered the changes in Latin America over the last ten years and priorities for solidarity in the next five. At the second of these, on 20 January 1997, a committee of activists from various solidarity groups and from none was elected to establish the centre.
On foot of the feasibility study and an application from the newly formed committee the NCDE made a significant grant towards the establishment of the Centre. In April LASC and Comhlamh hosted Maria Zuniga from Nicaragua for a workshop on grassroots linking, and also examined what characterised the Latin America experience of development work.
After the visit of Marciana Funez from Belize in May, LASC played a role in the coordination of the various groups eager to further the cause of the banana workers in Belize. This adhoc coalition has since formed Banana Watch to work for a sustainable banana economy.
"Quake" with the Happy City Samba Band and DJs Robert Navan and Care Maloney, in The Music centre in Temple Bar on July 19th, the anniversary of the triumph of the revolution in Nicaragua, was both a launch part and a fundraising event.
A part-time Coordinator Oision Coghlan, started work in 5 August (in Belize, no less, where he was part of a BananaWatch fact-finding mission!). Also in August premises were acquired forLASC at 5 Merrion Row, Dublin 2. The Centre opened its doors on Monday September 30th. The Irish Nicaragua Support Group And Irish Mexico Group moved their offices to LASC, and since October 21 tie IMG has employed a CE worker who is based in LASC.
On 4 November, over 70 people attended the official opening of the Centre of Peadar Kirby and Nancy Serrano. Also in November Central America Week changed its name to Latin America Week and commissioned LASC to provide coordination for 1997.
LASC helped the fledgling Colombian Network get of the ground and facilitated its cooperation with Amnesty and Trocaire for the visit of peasant leaders in December. LASC has also worked with the Brazil and Peru groups to plan their future activities.
In December LASC agreed with the Community action Network a pilot grassroots linking project for 1997. Subsequently APSO agreed funding for a linking project through educational and cultural exchange.
In February 1997 there was a benefit preview of Ken Loach's Carla's Song in a packed Screen 1 of the IFC, where screen writer Paul Laverty and veteran Nicaragua hand Molly O'Duffy addressed the audience. And this is the history until March 1997, when the first issue of Enlace was published and a founding General Meeting was held.
