ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the work of a regional organization, the Organization of American States (OAS), in building a culture of peace and democracy in the Americas. It shows the efforts being made by the OAS towards the creation of a more peaceful, secure and prosperous environment in the Western Hemisphere, and discusses the shift in regional approaches to security in the region. Democracy, peace and security have been at the heart of OAS institutional mandates. The chapter highlights the role of the OAS in the development of structural and practical models for addressing threats to peace and democracy within the Hemisphere, focusing on the importance of democratic governance and conflict resolution mechanisms. The goal of the Office for the Prevention and Resolution of Conflicts (OPRC) is to provide solid, clear and strategic political analysis of complex situations which may lead to the eruption of violent interstate and intrastate conflict in the Americas.
