Costa Rican artist Manuel Obregón was chosen to represent Costa Rica at the fourth edition of the Concert for Peace, scheduled for December 1, 2022, in Israel. The event, held at the Auditorium of the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, named for the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, commemorates the anniversary of the abolition of the Costa Rican army.
Manuel Obregón, Costa Rica’s Representative at the 2022 Concert for Peace
Obregón, a pianist and composer who served as Costa Rica’s Minister of Culture and Youth, presents “Simbiosis” at this edition, a musical experience in which the sounds of the piano are accompanied by images of the Monteverde cloud forest. The concert serves not only to celebrate and promote peace, but also relations between Costa Rica and Israel.
On the reach of his project, Obregón remarks:
“It fills me with emotion that ‘Simbiosis’ continues to be a show that brings warmth to people’s hearts, and that it can be used as a tool for help and an agent of change for important social causes and events that aim to exalt Costa Rica under very national standards, such as hope, kindness and humanitarian aid.”
A Concert Celebrating the Abolition of Costa Rica’s Army
This year the Concert for Peace celebrates the anniversary of the abolition of Costa Rica’s army, proclaimed on December 1, 1948, and enshrined in the 1949 Constitution. Article 12 of the Costa Rican Political Constitution prohibits the army as a permanent institution.
David O. Abraham, Director General of the Costa Rica Support and Promotion Office (OSPCR), explains the choice of artist:
“It is a tradition at this event to invite high-level, internationally recognized artists; on this occasion the guest artist will be Maestro Manuel Obregón, who will perform his repertoire ‘Simbiosis,’ which is based on the natural sounds of Costa Rica’s forests.”
The Menachem Begin Center, Venue of the Concert
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem is dedicated to the memory of former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1978 together with Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat.
The Chamber and the Concert for Peace
The Israel Ibero-America Chamber of Commerce (CILIB) is a private, international, non-profit organization, founded in Israel in 2019 and registered in Florida (USA), that works in foreign trade, training and cooperation between Israel and 22 Ibero-American countries, Andorra and the United States. Learn about the history of the Concert for Peace and see the country profiles for Costa Rica and Israel.
