During the year of 2002 URACCAN's fledgling video project matured and has become a vital vehicle for communication in the community. The mission statement reads: "Tenemos el propósito de foralecer espacios de comunicación e intercambio entre las acciones de investigación, docencia e intercambio y extensión universitaria, para estimular las capacidades locales de auto desarrollo."

     Using the equipment donated by the Burlington Sister City Program, a production team of Julio Bordas, Jimmy Lopez, and Shirlene Green assemble four weekly programs on Puerto Vision cable television. 

     AGENDA COSTEÑA,produced by Myrna Cunningham, is a program of political debate having the objective of strengthening the autonomy process in the region. This program is transmitted now in Siuna, Rosita, Waspam, and Bluefields as well as Bilwi.
     CARIBBEAN MIX,produced by Shirlene Green, is a cultural program contributing to the revitalization of differenet indigenous peoples and ethnic groups in the region. 
     URACCAN NOW is a weekly program dedicated to promoting the work of the university.
     OPINIONES, the original weekly broadcast by Julio Bordas, continues to present local opinions on issues of regional importance.

     Cecom-Uraccan has gained a reputation for professionalism and is being asked to produce videos for a variety of clients: institutes within the university, indiginous organizations, governmental organizations, municipalities, local companies, and agencies of civil society. Tapes covering a wide variety of subjects have been produced and are available for communitiy viewing. Julio Bordas, in additiion to his production work at Cecom, has been hired to run the local access channel at Puerto Vision cable television. 

     This past December Cecom-Uraccan made its first fiction movie, a rewritten version of the traditional Miskito story of the young man and the mermaid. In this video the mermaid lectures the young man on the importance of protecting the environment. The film was shot with local residents, spoken in Miskito, and exists in versions with Spanish and English subtitles. 

     During May and June 2003 University of Vermont Art Professor Dan Higgins again worked with former video students at URACCAN, encouraging them to document aspects of life in the region and training them to edit on the i-mac computer. Dan also transfered several programs to DVD, spoke with teachers about the educational value of the programs,  and established a DVD archive in the library at URACCAN.

     Thanks go to the DICK GOLDENSOHN FUND for a grant enabling the purchase of a digital Hi-8 video camera for the project, and to the Burlington/ Bilwi Sister City Program for purchasing the i-mac computer and continued financial support for upgrading equipment and purchasing tape stock. 
     Thanks also go to the the UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT DEAN'S FUND and UVM COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP for material and travel support.

     A partial list of Cecom-Uraccan programs follows. If interested in seeing samples of this fascinating work contact Dan Higgins <dhiggins@uvm.edu>

     Origen de los Criollos
     Los/as Sumos-Mayagnas
     El significado de la Semana Santa
     Proceso de demarcación territorial y el impacto de la ley sobre Bosawas y de los derechos de los pueblos indígenas.
     Significado del 23 Aniversario del triunfo de la Revolución Popular Sandinista en la Costa Caribe
     Celebración de la sopa de cangrejo
     La escoba
     Mamá Judith: There is no place like home
     Un sueño hecho realidad 
     El Joven y la Sirena 
     Amarillanmiento Letal de los Cocos
     Voces de Mujeres IndígenasLatinoamericanas