On August 20^th, the Chicago Area Peace Action (CAPA) will screen the 2014 film “A Bold Peace: Costa Rica’s Path of Demilitarization,” produced and directed by Matthew Eddy and Michael Dreiling. The screening will include a discussion with director Matthew Eddy.

A Bold Peace is described as follows:

 

Over 60 years ago, Costa Rica became one of the only nations in the world to disband their military and to redirect national resources towards education, health, and the environment. Since then, Costa Rica has earned the number one spot in the Happy Planet Index, a ranking of countries based on measures of environmental protection and the happiness and health of its citizens.  And the World Database of Happiness, with data on 149 nations compiled by a Dutch sociologist, lists Costa Rica as number one in self-reported happiness and number one in happy life years.

 

A Bold Peace juxtaposes the national policy of demilitarization (since 1948-49) with their investment in education, health, and the environment. Pointed parallels and contrasts are made with recent U.S. debates over the national debt, healthcare, the environment and the escalating cost of U.S. militarism. The film features former presidents, officials and scholars from the UN University for Peace, the University of Costa Rica, Costa Rican government officials and ambassadors, leaders of major national co-operatives, as well as journalists and citizens of Costa Rica. Unfortunately, the Costa Rican example has received very little international attention. This documentary film will bring attention to Costa Rica’s inspirational national project, answering why happiness, health, and human rights occupy a relatively prominent place in this Central American country.

In June, U.S. peace and democracy activist David Swanson wrote about this film:

 

In 1948 Costa Rica abolished its military, something widely deemed impossible in the United States. This film documents how that was done and what the results have been. I don’t want to give away the ending but let me just say this: there has not been a hostile Muslim takeover of Costa Rica, the Costa Rican economy has not collapsed, and Costa Rican women still seem to find a certain attraction in Costa Rican men.

 

How is this possible? Wait, it gets stranger.

 

Costa Rica provides free, high-quality education, including free college, as well as free healthcare, and social security. Costa Ricans are better educated than Americans, live longer, are reported as happier (in fact, happiest in the world in various studies), and lead the world in the use of renewable energy (100% renewable energy lately in Costa Rica).

 

Here is more information on this screening:

 

• Thursday, August 20th
• 7 – 9:30PM
• North Park University
• The Johnson Center
• Room 314
• 3235 W. Foster Ave. | Chicago 60625

• Free parking: North Park U. lots at Kedzie/
• Foster, Kedzie/ Carmen, and Kimball/ Foster

• CTA Buses: Foster #92, California #93, Kimball-
• Homan #82
• CTA Brown Line: Kimball & Kedzie/
• Spaulding stations are within walking distance.