International Peace Day in Costa Rica

September 21 was International Peace Day around the world. The idea of a day to promote peace and ceasefires was introduced to the United Nations in 1981 by the delegates from Costa Rica under the administration of president Rodrigo Carrazo Odio.

Originally the day was to coincide with the opening of the U.N. General Assembly each year, but in 2002 it was set at Sept. 21. President Carrazo also brought the U.N. University for Peace, now located in Ciudad Colón, Costa Rica.

The museum in San Ramón threw a Peace Festival to commemorate International Peace Day on Sept. 21, 2016. Mitzi Stark/The Tico Times

The General Assembly declared that the day be observed as a day of ceasefires and nonviolence and that all member states, United Nations organizations and non governmental organizations promote peace through education and public awareness. In Costa Rica, as in other countries, the day was observed in schools and municipalities.

Playing a peace-themed board game at San Ramón's Peace Festival, Sept. 21, 2016. Mitzi Stark/The Tico Times

A two-day peace festival was held in San Ramón’s regional museum. In Cartago, high school students competed in writing and performing songs to promote peace among young people.

At Playa Doña Ana in Puntarenas, a group held a meditation for peace.