“History has not been made by the men who predicted failure, who renounced their dreams, who abandoned their principles, who allowed laziness to stultify their intelligence. Those who at times have fought for human triumphs in solitude have always been accompanied by the spirit of their peoples, by the faith and destiny of many generations.” - Oscar Arias

Oscar Arias was born on September 13, 1940 Heredia, Costa Rica. Heredia is known for its beautiful tropical forests, waterfalls, roaring rivers and coffee plantations. Arias was born to one of Costa Rica's richest coffee-growing families. When he was just seven years old, Costa Rica made the historic decision to be the first country in the world to abolish its standing army. Thus, Oscar grew up in Central America's only country that had no army and did not rely on military might to ensure its security. Over one-hundred years ago, Costa Rica became one of the first democratic countries in Central America.

After studying at the Colegio Saint Francis in San Jose, Oscar went to the United States and studied medicine at Boston University. He returned to Costa Rica in 1969, and started teaching political science at the University of Costa Rica. Three years later, he entered politics. In 1986, he was elected president of Costa Rica for the first time and served until 1990.

The day he took office was not a day of celebration. Oscar wasted no time in making sure the leaders of the other countries in Central America understood his mission to create peace throughout the region. On his election day, the presidents of nine Latin American countries came together to hear Oscar's plea for democracy and liberty. He revealed his plan to remove Central America from the middle of the Cold War that was being waged between the world's two superpowers – the United States and USSR. By supporting various governments and armies, these superpowers had fueled the civil wars that killed more than one hundred thousand people in Guatemala and aggravated unrest in El Salvador and Nicaragua, as well as increased border tensions between Nicaragua and its neighboring states, Honduras and Costa Rica.

What soon became known as "The Arias Plan" called on leaders to limit the size of their armies, assure freedom of the press, and hold free and open elections. As the leader of a politically neutral country, nestled in a region turned upside down by political conflict, Oscar came to be known for defending personal freedoms, limiting the build-up of military power, battling poverty, and improving education.

His work as an international diplomat culminated in 1987 when all the Central American presidents signed the Procedure to Establish a Firm and Lasting Peace in Central America. Oscar also achieved great things for Costa Rica and was a very accessible president, often mingling in the streets without bodyguards. Unlike most world leaders, President Arias often dined in public restaurants and drove his own car. Oscar felt safe in Costa Rica, a country whose stability was measured not by military power but by success in the areas of education, health care, and elections.

Oscar's charisma and loyalty to his people elevated him to the status of a national hero. The world recognized him for his courageous efforts in the Central American peace process in 1987, when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Being showered with fame and praise did not slow down his efforts to promote peace. If anything, it encouraged him to expand his attention from the recovering region of Central America to the entire world. He is actively involved with peace-promoting organizations around the world. He formed the Arias Foundation for Peace & Human Progress. Its goals are to demilitarize places like Panama and Haiti. He strives to get the people of the world to understand security as something that is not based on having a huge army but on education, jobs, and health.

This year, the Costa Rican people “reinterpreted” their constitution in order to allow Oscar Arias to run for president again. He won the election in January 2006 and is currently serving as the President of Costa Rica once again.

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