Russian Mennonite
The Russian Mennonites (german: Russlandmennoniten it. "Russia Mennonites", i.e., Mennonites of or from the Russian Empire occasionally Ukrainian Mennonites) are a group of Mennonites who are descendants of Dutch Anabaptists who settled for abo ...
s fled the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
during the Great Trek of World War II, many were left displaced by the war. In response to this need, land in Boquerón Department was purchased by the
Mennonite Central Committee
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is a relief service, and peace agency representing fifteen Mennonite, Brethren in Christ and Amish bodies in North America. The U.S. headquarters are in Akron, Pennsylvania, the Canadian in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
...
in 1947 and settled by these same Mennonite refugees from Europe. As of 2008 the colony had about 3,400 residents.
The site is near
Filadelfia
Filadelfia () is the capital of Boquerón Department in the Gran Chaco of western Paraguay. It is the centre of the Fernheim Colony. It is about a 5-hour drive from the capital of Asunción. With a population of about 20,000, it is the largest ...
, the capital of Boquerón, and not far from neighbouring
Presidente Hayes Department
Presidente Hayes () is a department in Paraguay. The capital is the city of Villa Hayes. The department was named after U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes, who awarded the territory to Paraguay while arbitrating a boundary dispute between Paragu ...
. Neuland is within the
Gran Chaco
The Gran Chaco or Dry Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semiarid lowland natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato ...
and hosts among other things a museum of colonisation history and a monument remembering the
Chaco War
The Chaco War ( es, link=no, Guerra del Chaco, gn, Cháko Ñorairõ
Climate
The climate is tropical, with a maximum of 45 degrees Celsius in summer, and a minimum of 9 degrees Celsius in winter. The average is 25 degrees. It presents long drought followed by torrential rains.
Geography
Plain that does not exceed 300 meters above sea level. There are sporadic undulations which are fertile land for agriculture and animal husbandry.
It is close to
Filadelfia
Filadelfia () is the capital of Boquerón Department in the Gran Chaco of western Paraguay. It is the centre of the Fernheim Colony. It is about a 5-hour drive from the capital of Asunción. With a population of about 20,000, it is the largest ...
It has a Museum of the History of Colonization, and a reminder of the Monument
Chaco War
The Chaco War ( es, link=no, Guerra del Chaco, gn, Cháko ÑorairõHermann Guggiari stands in the place. You can also appreciate the beginnings of the colony and the work of the first settlers of Neuland.
The Public Relations Department of Cooperative Neuland is developing a program of educational tourism, so as to show the ethnic interaction, where the battles erupted in the Chaco War, nature reserves, flora and fauna of the region, Stays the locals, among other attractions of tourist interest. Tourists can see in the visit to the placement and nature reserves the rich and diverse flora and fauna of Chaco.
The ecosystem of Chaco is very sensitive so a mass tourism is not recommended, recommended making ecotourism as a matter of education.
The Amistad Park, is kept in the same conditions as was the Chaco 60 years ago.
The Cooperative Neuland, conscious of the growing tourist interest that awakens the area and recognizing the importance of improving the infrastructure to receive tourists, looking steadily implement projects attraction.
Transportation
It reaches Lagerenza by a detour of route PY09, aka Ruta Transchaco, until ''Cruce Pioneros'' at km 413 and thence by a road in very good condition.
Education and culture
In Neuland is very important to culture and education, music and song stand out among the major art forms, the prestigious Youth Symphony Orchestra musicians has instructed by international artists. In 1993 he created the music education center which is responsible for the instruction to future musicians, essays and presentations of works: classical music, people of different cultures that converge in the region.
Joy Choir is made up of people with certain ailments or shortly integrated into society, in addition to seniors, is like a therapy and as a distraction. In hospitals with patients in difficult situations the chorus becomes an incentive, the same was formed on the recommendation of doctors Hospital Neuland.
Another major concern for Neuland is education. The first settlers, before building their houses, prioritized education, often classes were in the shade of trees, for the settlers, education is the best investment we can make.
As for infrastructure, institutions of primary and secondary education have modern classrooms, laboratories and workshops for practice and testing. Education is compulsory until ninth grade. Students from schools and colleges in villages and the town centre with a school bus managed by the Cooperative.
Regarding university education, the Cooperative award scholarships for study in Asuncion or abroad to persons who have completed their university studies with an undertaking that when completed will give the community their work as development assistance for all.
The training is also an important aspect for Neuland, have been set up vocational training institutions, where they are farmers, tamberos, farmers, carpenters, mechanics, secretaries, accountants and others, and teacher training, where prospective teachers are prepared, subsequently can teach in primary schools in the country.
Economy
After several drawbacks Neuland has become a thriving community and beautiful
It is an agricultural area, are grown peanuts, cotton, sorghum and sesame. It is also an important area of livestock production, cattle for meat and dairy production.
Health
At the hospital, Concordia Neuland are with modern equipment and operating rooms, pharmacy and ambulance to the total provision of doctors.
For the partners of the Cooperative exists the possibility of joining a box hospital as health insurance. The hospital has guards standing to care for patients.
They develop guidance activities in health, education, family, spirituality and services to disabled, orphans, adolescents and sick.
Due to the progress of the Mennonite colony, there was migration of the indigenous population to the colonies, where they receive education, medical care and economic orientation.
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to t ...
, Distributed Arami SRL, 2007.
* Geography of Paraguay, First Edition 1999, Publisher Hispanic Paraguay SRL
Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO) is an online encyclopedia of topics relating to Mennonites and Anabaptism. The mission of the project is to provide free, reliable, English-language information on Anabaptist-related t ...