The U.S.-based Frontier Airlines symbolically embarked on new territory Friday with its inaugural flight from Denver International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport, just northwest of San José.

Paper Mache Nativity Scene Workshop
Today through Friday, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Central Bank Museums, San José.

Lighting of the National Children's Museum
With concerts by Humberto Vargas, Cantares, Christmas displays, fireworks, 6-8:30 p.m., National Children's Museum, San José.

Representatives from 11 Latin American countries united this week in Costa Rica for a workshop on preventing torture organized by the United Nations and the Swiss nonprofit Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT).

Human rights experts from around the region visited Costa Rican prisons including La Reforma Penitentiary and Buen Pastor women's prison. They also toured a shelter for “immigrants in transit” in the San José suburb of Hatillo, according to a statement from the Public Security Ministry.

Afterwards, the group made a few suggestions about how to improve the services offered there.

The goal of the meeting was to standardize regional criteria for the treatment of detainees and correct negative practices implemented in some countries, explained Claudia Gérez, a representative of the association.

Costa Rica was chosen to host the event because of its role as a leading protector of human rights in the treatment of prisoners. The country has also traditionally dealt with a large number of illegal immigrants.

-Tico Times

With talk of renewing efforts toward world peace, Costa Rica celebrated the 59 th anniversary of the abolition of its military Saturday.

President Oscar Arias, other leaders and former Costa Rican soldiers gathered for a ceremony at the National Museum in downtown San José.

The President said that while 59 years with no army is a significant achievement, the country still has much to do to promote world peace.

“How can we be satisfied if while our children walk to school, children in the Sudan flee the villages where their parents have been killed?” he asked. “How can we be satisfied if while our young people get their first job, the job of other young people is to go fight in Iraq ? How can we be satisfied if while our families look for where to build their houses, families in the Congo look for where to sleep in camps with thousands of refugees?”

He urged Costa Ricans to do something about these international injustices by supporting efforts to reduce arms trading.

Costa Rica's army was abolished on Dec. 1, 1948 by then-President José “Pepe” Figueres.

-Tico Times

The U.S.-based Frontier Airlines symbolically embarked on new territory Friday with its inaugural flight from Denver International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport, just northwest of San José.

Frontier is offering this flight four times a week, said Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides in a statement from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT). The airline has said it will consider adding a fifth flight in January.

The route is being serviced by an Airbus 319 with space for 132 passengers.

Frontier vice-president Cliff Van Leuven said the airline decided to expand to Costa Rica because of the country's “diversity of landscapes and natural wonders, which range from beautiful beaches to incredible forest reserves to powerful volcanoes.”

“These natural riches are necessary components to satisfy the tastes of tourists who are looking for a vacation destination with many options for resting, entertainment and adventure,” he said.

Frontier Airlines has been operating for 14 years and is the second largest transportation provider at Denver International Airport, offering an average of 350 flights to 62 destinations in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica, the statement said.