Former President of Costa Rica to Speak at York College
Posted September 18, 2000FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oscar Arias Brought Peace to Central America in Late 1980s
York, Pennsylvania--Former President of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias will speak at York College of Pennsylvania on Oct. 18. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Wolf Gymnasium.
The Arias lecture is the centerpiece of York College's cultural series for the 2000-01 academic year, "A Celebration of Latin America." The series, which begins Oct. 1, includes art exhibits, lectures, a film festival and Latin American dancing.
Born in Costa Rica in September of 1941, Arias attended Boston University in the United States before returning to his homeland to study law and economics at the University of Costa Rica. He later earned a Ph.D. from the University of Essex in England. In the 1960s, Arias began working for Costa Rica's National Liberation Party (PLN), and in 1972 he was appointed minister of planning, a post he held until 1977. He was elected secretary-general of the PLN in 1979, and in 1986 he won the general election to become president of Costa Rica.
As president, Arias developed a peace plan that barred outside aid to guerrillas in El Salvador and Nicaragua and established free elections and guarantees of improved human rights in all five Central American nations. In August of 1987, Arias and the leaders of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua signed the treaty. In October of that year, Arias was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in recognition of his efforts to bring stability to the region. After leaving office in 1990, Arias became president of the Arias Center for Peace.
At York College, Arias will champion his ideas of human development, global governance and human security.
Editors Note: A press opportunity will be held from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall. Press passes are required. Direct all media requests to John Ertter, York College News Bureau Editor, at (717) 815-1309.
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