Dr. Arias studied law and economics at the University of Costa Rica, and holds a doctoral degree in Political Science from the University of Essex (UK). After serving as Professor of Political Science at the University of Costa Rica, he was appointed Minister of Planning and Economic Policy of Costa Rica in 1972. He won a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica in 1978 and, nominated by the National Liberation Party (PLN) as its presidential candidate, was elected President in 1986.

Dr. Arias assumed office at a time of great regional discord and conflict, and as President worked steadfastly for the cause of peace and democracy in Central America. In 1986, he met with the presidents of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua to discuss proposals for a peaceful solution that had been worked out by the Contadora Group. In early 1987, he submitted his own peace plan, which served as the basis for the agreement approved by the five presidents in August 1987. For this effort, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1988, Dr. Arias used the monetary award from the Nobel Peace Prize to establish the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress. Under the auspices of the Foundation, three programmes were established to promote equal opportunities for women in all sectors of Central American society, to foster change-oriented philanthropy throughout Latin America, and to work for demilitarization and conflict resolution in the developing world. From the Foundation headquarters, Dr. Arias continues his pursuit of global peace and human security. Dr. Arias has written numerous books and articles on political and historical topics, and he serves on the Boards of Directors of several international organizations. He has received numerous awards, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Award, Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Award, and Americas Award.

The lecture will begin at 10:00 AM; simultaneous Japanese-English interpretation will be provided. Those interested in attending should register in advance. A registration reply form is available online at http://archive.unu.edu/hq/rector_office/events2004/Arias-reply.doc. For those unable to attend, the Dr. Arias' lecture will be "webcast" live (and archived) at http://c3.unu.edu/unuvideo/index.cfm? fuseaction=event.home&EventID=39.

Media representatives are cordially invited to attend. Please contact the UNU Office of Communications if you would like to arrange a media interview.