The Costa Rica Consensus

April 9, 2012 by IPB

“When I was a child, Costa Rica endured a war of its own, though it did not receive any attention in the pages housed in this building. When the war ended in 1948, Costa Rica made a voluntary decision that no other country had ever undertaken: to abolish its army and declare peace to the world. By doing this, my country promised me, and all its children, that we would never see tanks or troops in our streets. My country promised me, and all its children, that it would invest, not in the weapons of our past, but in the tools of our future; not in barracks, but in schools, hospitals, and national parks; not in soldiers, but in teachers, doctors, and park guards. My country promised to dismantle the institutions of violence, and invest in the progress that makes violence unnecessary. Quite simply, my country invested in its people.”

“This resulted not only in a healthy, educated, and free society. It resulted in concrete gains for national and regional security.”

Check out Nobel Laureate (and GDAMS endorser) Oscar Arias’ inspiring speech to the Newseum in Washington about the promise of demilitarization at FPIF.

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