International Student Program - Pilar Chavez - Colombia Pilar in traditional dress 　The final International Student to give an individual presentation, Pilar Chavez introduced the conflict in Colombia, using a parable of simple existence in a small village on the Pacific coast to illustrate how the actors came together and wrought change on rural society. As guerillas moved to the coast, persuading villages to cultivate cocaine, which they could then ship easily to American markets, traditional culture gave way to one of greed, fear and violence. Lack of confidence in the state, which citizens feel does not represent their interests, insecurity and lack of economic opportunities; forced communities to turn to local armed groups for support. On one hand, drug-trafficking cartels offer protection and villages benefit from money-laundering schemes in the form of house construction and the establishment of schools and various social programmes. However, this encourages dependence on those solely interested in exploiting economic resources, while conflict between various groups has resulted in forced migration and massive displacement of rural populations. Pilar stressed the complicated nature of the situation due to a legacy of ethnic discrimination and social inequality from colonial times, compounded by decades of political corruption and the proliferation of guerilla and paramilitary groups. On-site at one of the local projects 　Although these groups once confined their activities to the southeast, far from big cities and state control, recently violence has spread to urban areas and Pilar discussed how the conflict has affected daily life for Colombians. Terrorist acts are on the increase, while civil unrest is also becoming more prevalent, as attested by the two-day street battles in Medellin shortly before Peace Boat's arrival in Colombia. Delinquency, drug problems and crime abound, yet most people avoid leaving the cities due to increased insecurity and a fear of kidnappings, which have become a lucrative source of revenue for some armed groups. Pilar demonstrated how deep-seated mistrust has become by testifying her fear of transporting luggage even for Peace Boat in case something was discovered in the suitcases. Finally, she talked about her work with young people in and around her hometown of Cali, from environmental education programmes to dance and sporting activities. Preferring community rather than mass media, as it allows her to work directly with local groups, Pilar spoke of giving young people a positive focus in a difficult situation. She concluded by emphasising the difficulty of identifying solutions to the conflict, yet hope that the recently elected president will work to justify the popular support of the Colombian people. Peace Boat's 39th Voyage index