Costa Rican President
Oscar Arias To Be
Featured at Launch of
Interamerican Peace
Forum
The Organization of
American States ( OAS )
is set to formally
launch the
Inter-American Peace
Forum next Tuesday,
September 23, with a
ceremony that will
feature Nobel Peace
Prize winner and
president of Costa Rica
Oscar Arias Sánchez.
The brainchild of the
Secretariat for
Political Affairs’
Department of Democratic
Sustainability and
Special Missions, the
Forum will be held in
the historic Hall of the
Americas at OAS
Headquarters. Its main
objective is to work
towards implementing a
comprehensive program
embracing a variety of
activities to promote a
culture of peace among
the various segments of
society in the Americas.
This mechanism is also
intended to help
consolidate the OAS’
ongoing role in
conflict-resolution, in
hemispheric peace
initiatives and in
promoting a system of
individual freedom and
social justice based on
respect for fundamental
human rights as
articulated in the OAS
Charter.
The Department of
Democratic
Sustainability and
Special Missions in the
Secretariat for
Political Affairs
provides technical
expertise in matters
pertaining to conflict
resolution, threats to
democracy, good
governance, and
democratic dialogue. Its
three main action areas
are the Fund for Peace;
the SAPEM or
multiple-scenario
political analysis
program; and the Special
Missions unit, which
includes the work of the
Mission to Support the
Peace Process in
Colombia ( MAPP-OAS ).
Headlining the first of
the seminar’s two panel
discussions is the
former United Nations
Deputy Secretary-General
Sir Marrack Gouldin,
while OAS Secretary for
Political Affairs Dante
Caputo will lead the
second. Prominent
personalities in
politics, diplomacy and
academia across the
hemisphere will take
part in the event. A
cultural presentation
beginning at 5:00 will
bring the programs to a
close.
OAS Secretary General
José Miguel Insulza will
inaugurate the ceremony
at 10:00 a.m., followed
by President Arias’
presentation. Then, at
3:00 p.m., the First
Seminar of the
Inter-American Peace
Forum gets underway,
with OAS Assistant
Secretary General
Ambassador Albert R.
Ramdin delivering
introductory remarks. |
