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 2004 LECTURE HONOREE:
The Arias Foundation,
1987 Nobel Peace Laureate,
and President of Costa Rica 1986-1990
Peace, Development and the Environment: Challenges
to the Costa Rican Model
Since the 1980's Costa Rica has gained international
recognition as a leader in two intimately related
fields: environmental conservation and social
development. Costa Rican experiences in ecoagriculture,
debt-for-nature swaps, environmental education
and national park systems have important implications
for larger global efforts to link poverty reduction
with sustainable environmental practices. Departing
from the premise that without peace there cannot
be development, this presentation explores the
possibilities for international cooperation in
a number of issues fundamental to our environmental
future, especially the reduction of military spending.
About the Lecturer:
Óscar Arias holds international stature
as a spokesperson for the developing world. Championing
such issues as sustainable human and environmental
development, democracy, and demilitarization,
he has traveled the globe spreading a message
of peace and applying the lessons garnered from
the Central American Peace Process to topics of
current global debate. Arias studied at the University
of Costa Rica and later received a doctoral degree
in Political Science at the University of Essex,
England. He won a seat in Congress and in 1978
was elected secretary-general of the National
Liberation Party. In 1986, at a time of great
regional discord, Arias was elected president
of Costa Rica. In 1987, President Arias drafted
a peace plan to end the Central American crisis.
Widely recognized as the Arias Peace Plan, his
initiative culminated in the signing of the Esquipulas
II Accords by all the Central American presidents
on August 7, 1987. In that same year he was awarded
the Nobel Peace prize. In 1988, Dr. Arias used
the monetary award from the Nobel Peace prize
to establish the Arias Foundation for Peace and
Human Progress. From these same headquarters,
Dr. Arias has continued his pursuit of global
peace, sustainability, and security.
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