Academics, government officials, and social leaders from Colombia’s coca-growing territories will provide an overview of the plant’s traditional significance, its transformation into an illicit commodity, the implications of drug policy, and social entrepreneurship using the plant as a pathway to peacebuilding, Followed by a drinks reception sponsored by the Colombian Embassy.

Youth have long been recognised as central to international peace and security. The UN Security Council’s Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda and a growing array of youth-focused frameworks reflect a global consensus on their importance. One significant group however has been critically left behind, namely ‘Youth Associated with Non-State Armed Groups (YANSAG).’ Although young, they have rarely been seen or engaged as young people with potential. More often, they are framed as spoilers or security threats to be contained.

Democratic dissatisfaction is at levels not seen in decades, generating intense pressure for new policies and reformed institutions. And yet the current landscape — marked by geopolitical contestation, transactional diplomacy, deep interconnectedness, and strategic uncertainty — is increasingly constraining. The challenges facing ambitious, long-horizon, transformative projects are likely to deepen, not ease, in the coming years.