Simón I. Patiño Educational and Cultural Centre

Simón I. Patiño Foundation Simón I. Patiño Simón I. Patiño Educational and Cultural Center, Cochabamba Space Simón I. Patiño, La Paz Albina R. de Patiño Pediatric Center, Cochabamba Pairumani Center for Phytoecogenetic Research, Cochabamba Pairumani Model Farm, Cochabamba Pairumani Seed Center, Cochabamba Simón I. Patiño Center for Applied Ecology, Santa Cruz Center of Ecology - Diffusion, Simón I. Patiño, Santa Cruz Simón I. Patiño Center, Santa Cruz University Center, Geneva Simón I. Patiño Publishing House, Geneva Cultural Activities, Geneva Ecology, Geneva

Simón I. Patiño Educational and Cultural Centre
P.O. Box 544
Cochabamba - Bolivia
Tel.:+591-4-4243137
Fax: +591-4-4281099

The Simón I. Patiño Educational and Cultural Centre is a centre for training, information and the exchange of ideas in the fields of education, culture and science. It is also engaged in the in-depth study of problems relating to Bolivia's development.

	The Centre's activities, which are essentially . focused . on . books . and. the promotion of reading, are carried out through a network of libraries: a Reference Library at the Centre itself, a chain of Public Libraries spread over the Department of Cochabamba, and a Promotion of Reading unit. The latter is particularly involved in the disadvantaged districts of the. city., where .the. Albina. R.. de .Patiño
	Pediatric Centre also runs preventive health care programmes.The Centre has also

developed a number of libraries in original settings likely to appeal to young people, such as a train carriage and an old plane, both refurbished for this purpose.

At a cultural level, the Centre houses the Centre' for Contemporary Bolivian Art, an imposing gallery. where a broad panorama of contemporary Bolivian. painting is presented in an exceptional setting.

Exhibitions and presentations of innovative art. forms are organised in the adjacent showrooms.

The literary counterpart of this gallery is the Centre for Contemporary Bolivian Literature, a meeting place for authors and readers. This unit also engages in the study of contemporary national literature.

In addition, the Centre puts on major international exhibitions, while endeavouring to promote Bolivian art and artists beyond the country's borders.Every two years,

the Centre organizes the Luz Mila Patiño National Festival, devoted to preserving and highlighting Bolivia's unique ethnomusicological heritage.

Concerts of every musical genre are also given in the main hall of the central building and in the remarkable open-air auditorium.

Lastly, the Simón I. Patiño Centre hosts major national and international meetings, not only making available its infrastructure and facilities but also participating actively, especially in the cultural field.