Dr. Bernardita Lourdes Xitumul Piox, Secretary of Peace of the Presidency of the Republic of Guatemala, was present at the third edition of the Concert for Peace, the Chamber reported in November 2019. During the celebration, the Secretary addressed a few words to those in attendance.
The Secretariat of Peace of the Presidency of Guatemala
The Secretariat of Peace of the Presidency of Guatemala is the body responsible for ensuring that the various agencies that make up the Executive Branch, in the design and execution of their work and projects, are consistent with Government policies.
Its purpose is to fulfill the commitments undertaken in the Peace Accords and any others established by law.
The Guatemalan Peace Accords and the Esquipulas II Agreement
The Peace Accords are a domestic treaty signed in 1996 to end the guerrilla war that Guatemala endured for 36 years (1960-1996).
The negotiation process for the Peace Accords began in 1987. Its starting point was the signing of the Esquipulas II Agreement, a project presented by the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica to bring peace to the region, since, like Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador were experiencing serious military conflicts.
Esquipulas II was signed in August 1987 by the presidents of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Securing the support of the Central American leaders for this agreement culminated in the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Óscar Arias, former President of the Republic of Costa Rica, who was then serving as the country’s president.
The Concert for Peace
The Concert for Peace is the cultural event that the Costa Rica Support and Promotion Office (OSPCR) organizes every year in Jerusalem to commemorate the abolition of the Costa Rican army and to showcase Costa Rica through its culture.
The presence of Guatemala’s Secretary of Peace at its third edition added to the event the voice of an institution devoted to fulfilling peace commitments in Central America.
The Chamber and the Concert for Peace
The Israel Ibero-America Chamber of Commerce (CILIB), together with the OSPCR, promotes cultural and cooperation initiatives between Israel and the Ibero-American countries. Learn more about the Concert for Peace and see the country profiles of Guatemala and Costa Rica.
