It's an important Mayan site, bordering Belize and Guatemala, but, sadly, every time we hear about El Pilar, the news is about some kind of illegal activity in the border area, usually violent armed assaults of nearby residents or tourists by cross border bandits. But all that is about to change because Pilar is coming under a tri-partite management regime.

Today the National Institute of Culture and history (NICH), the University of California State at Santa Barbara and an NGO, Amigos De El Pilar signed on to a management agreement. This document is the blue print on how the archaeological site will be transformed from a destinations footnote to a premier eco-cultural destination, complete with security for the visiting public and those managing the site. Here are some highlights from the ceremony.