Yale Bulletin and Calendar

March 22-29, 1999

Volume 27, Number 25

Nobel laureate to visit Yale as Chubb Fellow

Nobel Peace Prize-winner Oscar Arias Sanchez, former president of Costa Rica, will visit the campus under the auspices of the Chubb Fellowship on Wednesday, March 24, at 8 p.m. in the Luce Hall auditorium, 34 Hillhouse Ave.

Arias's talk, "Peace in the Age of Globalization: Confronting Poverty, Inequality and Militarism," is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.

While on campus, Arias will also take part in a Student Forum 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, in Rm. 203 of Luce Hall.

It was in 1987, during his tenure as president of Costa Rica (1986-90), that Arias won the Nobel Peace Prize for settling a long-term conflict among the nations of Central America.

Arias was educated in the United States and England, where he earned his doctorate with a dissertation titled "Who Rules Costa Rica?" He launched his political career in 1970 as assistant to Jose Figueres, who was elected to the presidency of Costa Rica in 1972. At that time, Arias was named to the cabinet as minister of national planning and political economy, and rose to leadership positions in the National Liberation Party.

After his election as president, Arias intervened against the U.S.-backed Contras who were then operating on Costa Rican territory. He brought together the presidents of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, and persuaded them to adopt a plan for peace that he had drafted.

Arias remains a spokesman for peace and social justice. In an opinion piece for the Washington Post last month, he criticized President Clinton's proposed expansion of the American defense budget.

In that essay, Arias stated, "By holding itself to high moral standards on weapons sales, the United States would affirm a key maxim for the post-Cold War world: Security today is not found in unilateral build-up and aggressive posturing."

He also argued in favor of directing resources into anti-poverty programs and extending adequate education, health care and nutrition, potable water and sanitation to all those lacking basic social services. He urged the United States to make "an increased commitment to international cooperation and to a renewed investment in the health, education and well-being of all humanity."

In 1936, Hendon Chubb (Yale 1895) established a fund for "the encouragement and aid of students interested in government and public affairs." The Chubb Fellowship Program, created in 1949 and based at Timothy Dwight College, has hosted visits by national and international heads of state, journalists, writers and political activists.

Former Chubb Fellows include Jean Bertrand Aristide of Haiti and Shimon Peres of Israel; Presidents George Bush, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter; and Walter Cronkite, Toni Morrison, Norman Mailer, Jesse Jackson and Robert Redford.

For further information, call 432-0770.

T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S

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Nobel laureate to visit Yale as Chubb Fellow
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Yale announces moderate increase in term bill for the seventh straight year
Endowed Professorships: Margot E. Fassler and Rogers M. Smith
Exhibits, symposium look back at the Pop art of the Sixties
Area performers to lift voices in memory of noted conductor
Slifka Center celebrates new Media Arts Endowment with preview screening . . .
Lecture series will explore role of technology in today's culture
Noted Scottish sociologist will be featured speaker in campus events
Special program at ISM marks publication of Bryan Spinks' book . . .
Area artists invited to participate in second annual 'City-Wide Open Studios' . . .
Off-campus concerts
Conference will examine issues facing gays and lesbians in the workplace