A typical day in the life of a student at the University of Virginia includes classes, naps, extracurricular activities, naps, homework, complaining about a lack of sleep, naps, socializing, homework and then perhaps a few hours of sleep at night. Thus, many find it difficult to stay in touch with the world off-Grounds, as well as keep up with national and international news. However, the student organization Amigos for Colombia recently has taken steps to pop the University bubble and expose students to a wider range of experiences.
Colombian Senator Samuel Moreno Rojas visited the University Nov. 17 to discuss politics in his home country. Moreno Rojas is the leader of a newly formed political party called Polo Democratico Independiente (PDI), a leftist group that vows to protect social freedoms. The party officially was established in 2003 and has gained recent footing in the political world of Colombia, with victories including the election of Luis Eduardo Garzon as the mayor of Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia.
Amigos for Colombia has hosted similar events in the past, but members said they found that all these programs lacked a truly well-rounded perspective. President of Amigos for Colombia Matt Maher mentioned an event last year, for example, where "we had all the major players for the issue, except someone from Colombia."
This lack of a Colombian representative was particularly problematic in considering Amigos for Colombia's goals, which focus on broadening Americans' perspectives on Latin American countries.
"The mass majority don't even know more than what's in the U.S. media," Maher explained. "Not many go beyond what is readily accessible. There is a very narrow focus."
Group members have observed that this narrow focus not only often leaves out Latin America, but -- even more significantly -- the diversity present in these countries. First-year College student Juana Yunis, also a member of Amigos for Colombia, had the idea of not only bringing someone from Colombia, but someone from the left in Colombia, which often has had a reputation for violence and extremism.
After contacting the PDI, Yunis said she was unsure of whether they would be helpful.
"I didn't think that they would even read my e-mails," Yunis recalled.
But the party not only decided to send a representative, but offered the leader of their party, Moreno Rojas.
It may seem like talking to a bunch of students in Virginia would be low on Moreno Rojas' list of priorities, but the senator said the opportunity to change perspectives around the world attracted him to Yunis' invitation.
"The American community just doesn't know what's at stake," Moreno Rojas said, sharing a similar view to Maher's.
As Colombia is the largest recipient of U.S. aid outside of the Middle East, Moreno Rojas was eager to come speak about Colombia and about his party's platform. More importantly, however, he aimed to dispel misconceptions about both.
"When people think about the left and about radicals, they think of throwing stones in the streets, maybe burning cars, and that's a challenge," the Colombian senator explained during his presentation to the community.
Maher agreed that in general, Americans do not fully understand the scope of Latin American politics.
"There are moderates, there is a gray area, there are politics beyond the extremes," he said.
At the program, Moreno Rojas presented an encouraging view of his party and his country, while criticizing the current President Alvaro Uribe, who recently passed legislation so that he could run for office again. The senator held an optimistic outlook for his party in the political world, even with the daunting task of turning around a country where 70 percent of the people support Uribe.
"We don't know if we can win [the presidential election], but we know that, in the long term, people will understand our issues, our main goals, our ideas," he said. He later added that "politics is not only the art of the possible."
Moreno Rojas addressed issues such as fighting poverty, channeling resources consumed by Internal Arms Conflict into social venues, pushing for peace, the ongoing war against drugs and the proposed Free Trade Agreement, along with other international relations topics.
University students such as first-year College student Pat Casey said they welcomed the new perspective, and seized the opportunity to educate themselves about global issues.
"Having never been outside the country, I feel somewhat sheltered," Casey said. "I know I don't have a good perspective on the international community, so such an event was really important for me."
Group members thought that the senator did an excellent job of gearing his talk toward people who might be less informed than his usual audience.
"I thought it was very adequate for that audience," Yunis said. "People that didn't know much about the topic learned a great deal. People asked good questions."
One audience member who said he walked away with valuable new information was first-year College student Davis Zaunbrecher, who learned "that there's a wide range of political parties in Latin America with diverse positions."
"It's not as dominated by the traditional parties as I had thought before," Zaunbrecher said.
Even those who were already well-informed were excited by the presentation. Yunis, a native of Colombia, said she has been thoroughly impressed by the party's goals and their rise in Colombian politics.
"This is the first time I've been excited to vote," she exclaimed. "[I'm voting] PDI for sure!"
The success of Moreno Rojas's visit opens the door for future programs, Yunis said. Amigos for Colombia plans on hosting other events, perhaps concerning the ever-increasing issue of illegal immigration, or on poverty in Latin America. The group plans on inviting colleges from the Virginia region to take part. If Amigos for Colombia succeeds in meeting its goals, perhaps students will be inspired to become amigos of some country other than their own.
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