On 1 December 1948 the then President of Costa Rica, Jose Figueres Ferrer, abolished the military after a civil conflict earlier that year over a disputed electoral outcome. This was followed up a year later in 1949 by the introduction of Article 12 of the Costa Rican Constitution which provides that “the army as a permanent institution is abolished”. The budget previously dedicated to the military is now dedicated to security, education and culture.

Join the Australian National Centre for Latin American Studies/ANCLAS, the Embassy of Costa Rica and a panel of speakers from academia, diplomacy and civil society to discuss (drawing on Costa Rica’s experience) the rationale for abolition of the military, the social, political and economic impacts of doing so and whether it could serve as a model for other countries to follow a similar course. Speakers will make brief presentations during a roundtable panel discussion followed by a period of comment, questions and answers from the fellow panellists and the on-line audience.

Moderator

Noel Campbell (Co-Director, Australian National Centre for Latin American Studies, ANU)

Speakers

• Armando Vargas Araya (Ambassador of Costa Rica to Australia)
• Ned Dobos (Senior Lecturer, International and Political Studies, UNSW)
• Marianne Hanson (Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Queensland)
• Rita Warleigh (Founder, International Volunteers for Peace SCI in Australia)
• Sheri Ward (MA candidate, UN University for Peace, Costa Rica)
• Lizette Brenes Bonilla (Vice Chancellor Research, Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Costa Rica)
• Alberto Mejía (Former Chief of the Defence Force of Colombia, former Ambassador of Colombia to Australia)
• Sue Wareham (President, Medical Association for Prevention of War)
• Carlos Moreira (MA candidate, Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Queensland)
• Alexandra Bonnie (Senior Program Office, International Organisation for Migration)
• Stuart Rees (Emeritus Professor, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney)