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OAS Secretary General Meets with President of Costa Rica and Participates in Inauguration of FLACSO Headquarters

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, met today in San José, Costa Rica, with the President of the Republic, Laura Chinchilla, to discuss the main issues in the region and other topics of interest for the Central American country. Afterward, he participated in the opening ceremony of the new headquarters of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO).

During the meeting, both representatives discussed the next meeting of the Central American Integration System, to take place in Guatemala, an opportunity for Presidents to debate how to face the impact of organized crime through regional coordination mechanisms. Honduras, Haiti and the development of trade in the area were also subjects analyzed during the meeting.

Afterward, during the inauguration of the FLACSO headquarters in the Costa Rican capital, Secretary General Insulza alluded to the history of the Latin American Faculty and stressed Costa Rica’s role as the location of its headquarters, which it has been for many years. He asserted that “by establishing the headquarters in this stable and democratic country, FLACSO has been able to advance to the level it is at today, with centers in a number of important countries on the continent and with the capacity to develop a free and progressive social science, that looks to the future and to the service of the peoples of the region.”

During the opening ceremony of the new center, in which the highest authorities of the academic institution were present, the Secretary General recalled his time at the school in Chile, “where it was founded and became one of the most important centers for research and teaching in the social sciences in Latin America.” The highest representative of the OAS highlighted that “the intellectual dialogue that FLACSO brought about since its founding in 1957 has been not only one of the most intellectually rich, but also one of the most fruitful.”

The work of research, the promotion of critical thinking and forming new social sciences were among other characteristics that the Secretary General emphasized, and he further explained that during the recent years of recovering democracy and political stability in the region, “FLACSO has become an effective partner in the process.”

The head of the hemispheric Organization also stressed FLACSO’s commitment “to contribute, jointly with the Governments that it represents, to the progress of democracy, justice, and peace in the Americas,” and he assured that “beyond its distinguished history the best years of FLACSO lie ahead.” Secretary General Insulza stated that the institution “will continue to provide the best research and teaching that can be hoped for from an institution of such great prestige,” and concluded his speech noting the relevance that the Latin American Faculty has “in such a crucial period presently confronting Latin America” on issues like the consolidation of development at the regional level.

On Tuesday, April 26 the Secretary General will participate in a seminar titled, “The Latin American Decade: Visions of Development and Global Integration,” organized by FLACSO Costa Rica.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-641/11