Abstract
“The Craftsmanship of Peace: Moving to Global Demilitarization” Watch Video
President Arias draws on his political experiences in Latin American government to discuss the state of peace around the world in the 1990s. In doing so, he outlines both the advances made since the end of the Cold War, as well as the work that is left to be done.
Arias speaks of various Latin American conflicts that have been resolved, and expresses his hope for the success of an upcoming vote on the demilitarization of Panama. He also expresses concern for the ability of Latin American countries to escape from debt, as well as the connection between economic distress and devastating environmental damage in the region.
Throughout his talk, Arias emphasizes that the consequences of conflict and poverty in the Third World extend to developed countries, resulting in terrorism, war, and increased military spending. He stresses his belief in the importance of demilitarization, and discusses the motivations for and benefits of decreased military spending in the United States. Arias closes by noting that heroes of peace, like Linus Pauling, should be celebrated just as fervently as heroes of war.
Following the conclusion of his prepared remarks, Arias answers questions from the audience for almost thirty minutes.
Related Names: Linus Pauling, Ava Helen Pauling