SANTA ANA, COSTA RICA BECOMES THE 74th INTERNATIONAL CITY OF PEACE

When Oscar Arias became President of Costa Rica in 1986 many countries in Latin America were at war because of external interference and internal conflicts. In the Esquipulas II Peace Agreement, Costa Rica saw national reconciliation, an end to hostilities, democratization, free elections, resettlement of refugees and negotiations on arms control in all Central American countries. Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize. They were the first country to abolish the death penalty and their army! They have a Minister of Peace! Today with the help of the Rasur Foundation’s Rita Marie Johnson and the U.N. University of Peace Director Nancy Marin, Santa Ana, Costa Rica joins our ICP Association of cities showing the way forward. Please welcome them!

http://www.internationalcitiesofpeace.org/cities/santaana/santaana.html