Women from throughout Central America and beyond will gather at the University for International Cooperation (UCI) in San José this weekend to discuss an ambitious goal: the abolition of all Central America's armies by the year 2020.
“The history of war has been written by men, and now we want women to take a turn and write the history of peace,” said organizer Sandra Ribas. “We are very tender… but at the same time we know how to be fierce to defend our principles.”
Between 60-80 women are expected to participate in lectures, round-table discussions and group work with the goal of forming proposals to present to diplomats and government leaders of Central American countries.
At a press conference yesterday, members of the Costa Rican Initiative of the international nonprofit organization A World Without Armies, which organized the conference, said one of their goals is to allow women from Costa Rica and Panama, the two countries without armies in the region, to share their experiences with women from other nations.
Participants will kick off the conference on Friday at the National Culture Center (CENAC) with an exhibition of artwork on the theme of peace by children in seven nations – from Tibet to Germany to Costa Rica – from 3-4:30 p.m., and an inauguration ceremony from 5-7 p.m.
On Saturday and Sunday, the conference will take place at the UCI campus in nearby Barrio Escalante from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more information, call 234-5928 or visit www.abolicion2020.org |
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