La Fundación para la Paz y la Democracia (Foundation for Peace and Democracy, FUNPADEM) is an NGO founded in 1988. It was created by the former Costa Rican politician Rodrigo Madrigal Nieto, and works to build a more open, just and sustainable Costa Rican and Central American society, based on peace and democracy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLU5JnL-UGU
From 1988 to 1994 FUNPADEM concentrated on initiatives to train a new generation of diplomats for the central American region, working for peace and integration. In 1994, it began implementing projects financed by international donors.
FUNPADEM's work is focused on five key themes:
- Peaceful conflict resolution
- Security and the prevention of violence
- Democratic governance
- Justice and compliance
- Environmental sustainability
The foundation has been developing its capacity as a centre of regional expertise. It has a research and investigation centre to support its programme work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRlOtxBCj9k
In 2014, the Costa Rican Minister for Justice and Peace awarded the first "Constructora de Paz” (peacebuilder) prize to FUNPADEM for its work.
FUNPADEM works with many regional and international networks:
- Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict
- Red Centroamericana para la Construcción de la Paz y Seguridad Humana (the Central American Network for Peacebuilding and Human Security)
- Red Interamericana para la Democracia (The Interamerican Network for Democracy)
- Coordinadora Regional de Investigaciones del Gran Caribe (The Regional Coordinator of Investigations of the Greater Caribbean)
- Pacto Mundial
- Civil society and the Organization of American States
- Civil society and the Central American Integration System.
