VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSJ #0553 0792244
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 202244Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7583
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN JASON MACK AND IO/RHS RACHEL LEATHAM 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID KDEM KPAO PGOV PREL CS
SUBJECT:  COSTA RICA:  UN DEMOCRACY FUND PROJECT 
 
REF:  STATE 19781 
 
¶1.  On March 12, Poloff, Cultural Affairs Officer, and foreign 
service national met with Maria Eugenia Bujanda of the Omar Dengo 
Foundation (FOD), the Costa Rican UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF) grantee. 
 FOD is a non-profit organization dedicated to national development 
through improvements and innovations in education.  Their two-year 
project, "Democracy Builders: Youth Capacities for Active 
Citizenship," is funded by a $300,000 grant from UNDEF.  They have 
five partners in this project:  The Ministry of 
Public Education (MEP), UNDP (which manages the funds), UNDEF, 
UNICEF, and the Supreme Elections Tribunal. 
 
¶2.  As one effort to confront the perceived increase in Costa Rica's 
political and civic apathy, FOD's project endeavors to develop youth 
capacities for active and democratic citizenship.  It was designed 
to enrich the civic education curriculum and the student government 
activities at the high school level with an innovative approach 
based on experimental learning.  The program will complement the FOD 
program "Active Citizenship and Democracy," now in place at the 
primary school level. 
 
¶3.  The program is still in a pre-implementation phase, as the 
agreement between FOD and UNDEF was only signed on March 1, 2007. 
However, five geographically diverse high schools have already been 
identified as pilot sites for the first year of the program.  As now 
envisioned, once the program is fully developed and fine-tuned 
within the two-year goal, the MEP will assume continuing 
responsibility. 
 
¶4.  COMMENT:  It is not possible to assess the performance of the 
program at this time since it has not yet been implemented. 
However, given FOD's experience with educational programs designed 
to promote active citizenship, experienced partners from the various 
UN program partners, and the resources and access gained by its 
partnership with the MEP, there is reason to expect successful 
management of this program and a realization of stated objectives in 
the time allotted.  End Comment. 
 
LANGDALE