President Carlos Alvarado on Wednesday delivered a 20-minute speech celebrating Costa Rica’s bicentennial.
Watch it in its entirety below:
During the address, President Alvarado honored Costa Rica’s demilitarization and emphasis on universal education.
“I am filled with pride and love for our country, when the focal point of this civic act is led by a child. Keyleb, a third-grade student, has spoken to us from his perspective of freedom, education, values, and has confirmed that it is the most important thing that our people have,” President Alvarado said.
“Today we commemorate and celebrate 200 years of free and independent life. We have created real treasures: We pronounced freedom much earlier than in other countries; we established public, free and compulsory education; we abolished the death penalty, and the army; we signed social guarantees and many other actions.
“That legacy of leadership is what we must follow, unite as one Costa Rica to make changes, to ensure a better world, where future generations, Keyleb’s generation, will have a better place to live.
“Let’s enjoy this bicentennial with joy. May Costa Rica live for 200 more years, and may it live forever!”
