A new day of poetry comes to enchant the traditional literary space.

On Thursday, October 30, a new meeting of the Poetic Café will be held, an activity organized jointly by the Extension Directorate and the Mistralian Center of the University of La Serena. As is traditional, the meeting will take place at 19:00 p.m. in the ULS Exhibition Hall, located at Benavente 950, La Serena. 

The activity is free of charge and seeks to bring together all those who enjoy the romanticism of poetry, the charm of stories and prose, as well as local writers and fans of this art.

For more information about this poetic event, you just have to go to the Extension Center located at 446 Prat Street, La Serena, call 2204171 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Source: Press Extension Direction

The intergenerational meeting was held in the Ignacio Domeyko room of the University of La Serena, where friends and supporters of the group enjoyed an entertaining show.

Among applause, laughter and admiration for the joy of living, the third cultural embassy of the year 2014 of the “Amaya” Circle of Active Seniors took place. In the instance, which celebrated the twenty-third anniversary, the members carried out a genesis from its beginnings in 1991, when the group was formed after the first School for the Elderly, organized by the ULS Extension Directorate. Finally, the review culminated with the recognition of its first president and founding partner, Eduardo Blaitt Oryan. In her representation, for being out of the city, Silvia Cortés received well-deserved recognition. 

At the meeting, member Raquel Sánchez reminded everyone present of the beginnings of the group and countless arguments of Blaitt's disposition, kindness and solidarity, reasons that made him worthy of this recognition. “In his capacity as president of Amaya and using his valuable experience, he managed to guide the institution in a harmonious way, always instilling in the Amayistas the strength and faith to make Amaya better every day (…), he guided all the "We make up the Amaya group to see life as a gift from God, a gift that we have the obligation to share with others so that it is multiplied in the enjoyment of living."

On the occasion, there were regional and university authorities, among them, the director of Extension of the University of La Serena, Dr. Catalina Cvitanic, the seremi of Social Development, Eduardo Lara, and the regional coordinator of Senama, Alejandra Díaz, who They were very impressed by the presentation and dedication of the artists. “The fact that older adults remain active is extremely important in terms of the benefits that it causes for them, on the other hand, everything that they can continue to provide, beyond the purely artistic presentation, all the knowledge that the presentation carries behind it, how other people are also involved. I saw some children out there, that it is extremely important to also rescue these intergenerational meetings that ultimately come to strengthen this cultural change that we have and are obliged to make because of the debt we have with our older adults," said Alejandra Díaz.

For his part, Eduardo Lara, minister of Social Development, highlighted that “precisely the president's entire policy has to do with social inclusion and also living in active old age, and Amaya means Active Senior Adult, so they were already in 91. thinking that it was a good motivation that old age has to be lived actively, that citizens and State organizations also have to pay respect to this organization, include it just as the president has done, who within her government program and as a public policy it is to favor respect for the elderly above all things and integrate them so that they have an active old age."

This activity, organized within the framework of the School for the Elderly, organized by the ULS Extension Directorate, presented the results of the workshops carried out during the year in the choir, folklore groups and the “Imán” theater of Amaya, in addition, the recitation of member Gladys Bahamondes, the presentation of member Lilian López and the participation of the invited group “Evocations”. 

“Everything really turned out very nice, the workshops were outstanding, you can see the work, the dedication of each one, the effort put in by the theater, the choir, the folklore, I was really very satisfied with everything that has been achieved,” highlighted María Eugenia Rojas, current president of Amaya. 

Source: Press Extension Direction

Eight professional experts in astronomy raised important points about the importance of respecting the sky as a world heritage site.

The sky of the Coquimbo Region is recognized as one of the cleanest in the world and, therefore, one of the most suitable for astronomical observation. In this way, the Gemini South Observatory, the Extension Directorate of the University of La Serena and the entire organization of “Journey to the Universe”, gave life to the “Technical Scientific Panel: Importance of sky quality in astronomical science”, in which professionals, including two ULS researchers, addressed the main implications and privileges of the sky, in addition to informing and raising awareness among attendees about its progressive damage through light pollution and the lack of education regarding to the topic.

Starting the Panel, the coordinator of the ULS Astronomy Group, Dr. Rodolfo Barbá, gave some practical examples to understand the relevance of the observation and explained the importance of having a clean and dark sky to investigate, with the aim of discovering the origins of the Universe . 

For his part, the speaker Juan Pablo Madrid, a professional from the Gemini Observatory as part of the scientific team, expressed his pleasure at carrying out an activity open to the community for free. “I find it very interesting to have shared our experience with the members of the community and that they are aware of the importance of having a sky without light pollution and what I would like is for the message to reach a larger group of people, such as involving to children,” highlighted the PhD in Astrophysics.

Alfonso Casanova, who attended this scientific panel, highlighted the great experience of his speakers regarding the topics addressed. “The topic of astronomy is something magical and I find that it is very cultural and relevant to today's times. This panel forum where there is a group of mentors, of 'gurus' with extraordinary knowledge, have transmitted all their experience to those of us who were there and I am very happy, because in some way we can transmit a message to the children, to the new generations. , that there is a lot of trouble to be done to have a Universe that we can see, enjoy it in 10 and 20 more years. And a call to the political class to stop the issue of light pollution, in some way, from the point of view of regulatory frameworks and environmental regulations,” commented Casanova.

A journey to consciousness 

Under this regulatory point, Erich Wenderoth, Scientific Operations specialist at the Gemini South Observatory, also gave his opinion on this, making known how this situation is experienced in other countries around the world. “We have to try to sow it in children in such a way that in the end we can have awareness and have an educational level like we have in Finland, in Germany, in Switzerland, in developed countries, where the awareness of good is born with children from a young age. ”, he highlighted.

This Technical Scientific Panel had the participation of professional experts in astronomy, among whom were: Erich Wenderoth, Master in Physics from the ULS with a specialty in Extragalactic Astrophysics and member of the Scientific Operations group of the Gemini South Observatory, Pedro Sanhueza, director of the Office for the Protection of Sky Quality in Northern Chile-OPCC- AURA, CARSO and ESSO Observatories, Nidia Morrell, astronomer at the Las Campanas Observatory, Juan Madrid, PhD in Astrophysics and member of the Gemini Observatory science group, René Ruten, astronomer and person in charge of the scientific operation of the Gemini-Sur telescope, Rodolfo Barba, astronomer and coordinator of the Astronomy Group in the Department of Physics of the ULS, Sergio Torres, astronomer and research academic of the Department of Physics ULS, and by lastly, Malcolm Smith, astronomer at the Tololo Observatory, former director of Observatories International and former member of the Steering Committee of the International Dark Sky Association. In addition, this activity was sponsored by the Municipality of La Serena, SERNATUR Coquimbo Region and the Northern Chile Sky Quality Protection Office OPCC.

Conferences and photographic exhibition

It is worth mentioning that the Extension Directorate of the University of La Serena continues with a series of conferences on astronomy and the exhibition “Alaxpacha Jayri: Our night sky” in the ULS Exhibition Hall, at Benavente 950. For inquiries from the activities, you only have to go to their offices at Prat Street 446 or call 2204171 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Source: Press Extension Directorate

The initiative will bring astronomy closer to schoolchildren in the region, through workshops, conferences and visits to observatories.

With a ceremony that brought together the organizers and collaborators of the activity, the official programming of “Journey to the Universe 2014” was inaugurated, an event where there was also recognition of the schools that have participated since the beginning of the activity organized by the Observatory. Gemini South. The program for this year includes a varied program where schoolchildren in the region will be able to receive astronomers, engineers and professionals related to astronomy in their schools, to participate in talks, workshops, scientific discussion panels and, as a novelty for this year , you can also visit the region's observatories.

In its fourth version, “Journey to the Universe” began its activities with the official inauguration held at the Central House of the University of La Serena. The event was attended by university authorities, led by the Rector, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, the mayor of La Serena, Roberto Jacob, and the representative of Sernatur Region of Coquimbo, Pamela Duarte, among other regional authorities.

The “Journey to the Universe” activities will take place in the different educational establishments in the region and nearby observatories until Friday, October 24, and have the active participation of the ULS Physics Department, with the research astronomers of the Astronomy Group ( GAULS), and the Extension Directorate of the University of La Serena. 

In this regard, the Rector of the house of higher education, highlighted that "this activity denotes the commitment that the University of La Serena has with its region in a topic as important as astronomy and, more than all, an astronomy that wants to reach the children and all people who are interested in understanding this science, I believe that this alliance with the Municipality, with Sernatur, led by Gemini and with our support, leaves us very satisfied; We want to continue strengthening teaching and the transmission of knowledge through this alliance and we hope as a University to continue supporting it, we are proud to be able to participate in this work,” stated the DR. Nibaldo Aviles. 

The organizer, for 4 years now, is the Gemini South Observatory, who through its director, Nancy Levenson, expressed the importance of generating this type of activities. “This is the fourth year that this program offers a full week of activities throughout the region to stimulate astronomy and share its beauty with our community. "It is an important reflection of the Gemini Observatory's purpose statement, 'Exploring the universe, sharing its wonders.'"

On the occasion, the director of Gemini Sur, the Rector of the University of La Serena, the mayor of La Serena and the representative of Sernatur, presented recognition to the teachers and the schools San José, Christ School, Germán Riesco, San Joaquín, Cardenal Caro de Coquimbo, Español de Coquimbo, Form-Arte and Saint Mary School, establishments that have always supported Gemini initiatives, which have not only been supported by their directors, but have known how to motivate their respective students in The science. 

First activities in schools 

Throughout this week, various activities will be carried out in the already coordinated schools, among them are various conferences that will be given by professionals from the University of La Serena.

The one who started these talks was Dr. Amelia Ramírez, with “How different is our Milky Way galaxy from other galaxies?”, presented at the Germán Riesco school, where the students were impressed and interested in the different galaxies and the Various ways of looking at the sky. 

“I talked about how different our galaxy is from other galaxies, in reality with that I allowed them to know the classification of galaxies and then identify what our galaxy is like within that countless number of galaxies that there are, but that we have been able to classify. throughout the time of astronomy,” commented Ramírez.  

Source: Press Extension Direction

The first program will have Professor Oriana Mondaca Rivera as a guest, who will provide details of her book "Religious sentiment and biblical allusions in the work of Gabriela Mistral.

This Sunday, October 26, at noon, the first program of the “Sonidos Mistralianos” cycle will be broadcast on Radio Universitaria FM, a new space hosted by musician Raúl “Talo” Pinto, intended to highlight the work of our Nobel Prize in Literature, Gabriela Mistral, through interviews with researchers and the dissemination of melodies created around the poet and her legacy.

This new cycle of programs is part of the project “Mistralian Sounds: compositions that rescue the legacy of our Nobel Prize in Literature”, financed by the Media Fund 2014, of the Ministry of the General Secretariat of Government. The initiative of the station of the University of La Serena, dependent on the Directorate of Protocol and Communications, contemplates the realization of six programs around the figure of Gabriela Mistral, allowing citizens to bring closer the expression of the intellectual values ​​that gave meaning to the life and work of the poet. 

In addition, the “Mistralian Sounds” series will be distributed to more than 70 educational establishments in La Serena and Coquimbo.

first program

The first program will have as a guest Professor Oriana Mondaca Rivera, researcher and disseminator of the work of the Nobel Prize winner in Literature, who will provide details of her book "Religious sentiment and biblical allusions in the work of Gabriela Mistral.

The activity aims to bring the community of the Coquimbo Region closer to the idiosyncrasy and historical culture of the city of bell towers.

“La Serena in the 27th century. “Its local history, sociocultural facts and traditional chronicles” is the title of the conference that the Extension Directorate of the University of La Serena together with Mg. Hugo Marín Varela, professor of History, Geography and Civics, will present at the Extension Center this Monday, October XNUMX.

The talk is part of the “Opening horizons” conference cycle of the School for the Elderly, and seeks to reveal the main historical milestones that encompass the second oldest city in Chile, through its founding and subsequent refoundation under the name of “San Bartolomé de La Serena” and its most emblematic characters. 

Its rapporteur, Mg. Hugo Marín Varela, announced that he will present sociocultural background "with everything that really happened and I am going to complement it with legendary events, since in history real events are always mixed with legends (...). This area is full of legends, historical presence of the Inca people in the Chilean regions of Coquimbo and Atacama, Spanish presence in the Elqui River, Santa Gracia and foundation of towns and cities, Valle La Serena town, founded where the Compañía Baja is by Juan Bohón , the death of Valdivia in 1553. In the year 1593 the Jesuits arrived and García Hurtado de Mendoza, Alonso de Ercilla, La Araucana and the protagonism of the Araucanian people arrived,” the academic explained.

The activity is free entry and will take place at 17:00 p.m. at the ULS Extension Center. For more information about this academic conference, those interested can contact Prat 446, La Serena, call 2204171 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Source: Press Extension Direction