The OAS is the oldest regional organization in the world, founded in 1948 with its origins in the Pan American Union in order to promote peaceful relations in the Americas. The OAS brings together the 35 independent states of the Americas and is the main political forum of the region, giving space to the countries of North, Central and South America and the Caribbean to discuss common goals, prevent conflicts and contribute to the political stability, social inclusion and prosperity of the region. As expressed in its founding Charter, the original concept of the OAS was to collectively form a community of nations in the Western Hemisphere that enjoy "within the framework of democratic institutions, a system of individual liberty and social justice based on respect for the essential rights of man.” Today, the basic principle of the hemispheric agenda is the protection and consolidation of democracy, and respect for the principles of non-intervention and territorial integrity. To achieve its strategic objectives, the OAS is based on four main pillars: the promotion of democracy, human rights, a multidimensional approach to security, and the promotion of development and prosperity. Website: http://www.oas.org/ Member countries Antigua & Barbuda Argentina The Bahamas Barbados Belize Bolivia Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba* Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Saint Kitts & Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent & the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad & Tobago United States of America Uruguay Venezuela Headquarters The Main Building (MNB) of the OAS is located on the corner of 17th Street and Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006, USA