Living in Peru : your everyday companion

World-renowned Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio Jaramillo affirmed it was a privilege to have a business in the Historic Center of Lima because it has everything visitors need to find the finest restaurants in Peru.

"As chefs, we are very grateful because we received a product we have not created. We have been given a cultural heritage and what we are doing is fulfilling our responsibility, trying to promote this heritage to the world," said Gastón Acurio, president of the Peruvian Gastronomy Association.

Acurio added that gastronomy must be one of the best examples of what Peru can produce and offer to the world.

“We must show the world the best of our cuisine," he said in allusion to the many tourists that will visit Peru in November on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

During the launch of the Gastronomic Tour in the Historic Center of Lima, the renowned chef also noted that Peruvian cuisine enjoys a worldwide reputation for its richness and variety.

Before a packed audience gathered at Main Hall of the Gran Hotel Bolivar, Acurio highlighted that food, service, decor, environment and food safety are all important elements because people go to a restaurant not only to eat but also to live an experience.

News source: ANDINA

As the APEC 2008 Forum approaches, which will take place in Peru in November, the metropolitan council will present on Thursday the "Gastronomic Tour of the Historical Centre of Lima", so that visitors to this important meeting can taste the best of Peru's gastronomy in first-class restaurants.

The event will count on the exhibition "Market Trends of Gastronomic Services", headed by Gastón Acurio, the president of the Peruvian Gastronomy Association, reported Lima’s Municipality.

For this program, over 220 restaurants, whose owners have improved their facilities, service quality and food handling, have been selected.

The program has the support of a network of institutions linked to the industry such as Gastrotur Perú, the Peruvian Gastronomy Association, San Martin University, the Toulouse Lautrec Institute of Communication and design among other institutions.

News source: ANDINA

Peru’s National Library will inaugurate on Tuesday the “Mario Vargas Llosa” auditorium theater in a ceremony that will count on the presence of the renowned author of “La Ciudad y los Perros” (The City and the Dogs) and “Conversaciones en la cathedral” (Conversation in the Cathedral), among other important works.

The National Library said this ceremony aims to pay homage to the distinguished Peruvian writer.

Presently, Vargas Llosa continues writing prolifically in a series of literary genres, including literary criticism and journalism.

His works also include comedy and historic and political novels. Some of them such as “Pantaleón y las visitadoras” (Pantaleon and the Special Service, 1973) and “La tía Julia y el escribidor” (Aunt Julia and The Script-writer, 1977), have been adapted to the big screen.

The novelist will attend the opening ceremony of the auditorium, and he commented that the theater was his first literary love.

The “Mario Vargas LLosa” auditorium is located at 160 Poesia Ave., in the district of San Borja; and the central ceremony will be held at the 19:30 hours (00:30 GMT), where distinguished people from Peru’s cultural ambit will be present.

News source: ANDINA

The creation of the Ministry of Culture was proposed on Monday by President Alan García to Peru's Congress, as a topic to be discussed in order to boost the artistic creation and reevaluate ancient Peruvian cultures.

“I propose that congress start the debate for the creation of the Ministry of Culture to vindicate the Peruvian past, because this is the mother nation of South America, from here other countries were born”, said García during his speech on occasion of the 187th national anniversary.

In his speech, the president highlighted that his administration is looking to reevaluate cultural richness nationwide, and proof of this, he pointed out the recent inauguration of the Chavín National Museum, is the Ancash Region.

In addition, he said this museum would vindicate “our mother culture”, besides giving value to several monuments such as Pachamac, Nasca and Mateo Salado.

García said that with a lack of past, “there is not identity”, this is the reason why it is important to create a portfolio that can be in charge of this sector.

He added that this ministry did not require many expenses, “almost any”, but he highlighted the existence of these ministries in Europe and Latin America, while in Peru, where many reasons to create it exist, there is not an entity with a ministerial level.

News source: ANDINA

Young Peruvian composer and singer Damaris Mallma offered yesterday a concert during a celebration at the White House, where the U.S. government paid homage to Peru on the occasion of its 187th anniversary of independence.

The event took place at the Old Eisenhower Executive Office Building of the White House, in Washington DC, where the US president George W. Bush derogated last December the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Peru.

Damaris, the winner of two "Gaviotas de Plata” (Silver Seagull) prizes at 2008 Viña del Mar Festival in Chile, sang her themes, “Tusuy Kusun” and “Mil Caminos” before legislators and representatives of the United States.

The Peruvian ambassador to the United States, Philip Ortiz de Zevallos, the Peruvian consul in Washington DC, Jose Martin Ríos and the president of the Peruvian American National Roundtable (PANR), Daniel Jara also took part of this event.

News source: ANDINA

The different museums of the National Institute of Culture will open their doors from July 28 to 29 so visitors, without paying any rate, can enjoy the museums during Peru's National Holidays.

Peru’s National Museum, National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru – MNAAHP, Site Museum of Huallamarca, Peru’s Postal and Philatelic Museum, and Museum of Italian Art in Peru can be visited during these special dates for free.

Jose Carlos Mariátegui Museum, Site Museum of Arturo Jiménez Borja - Puruchuco, Site Museum Viewing-point Cerro San Cristobal, Site Museum of Huaca Pucllana, National Museum of the Peruvian Culture and Site Museum of Pachacamac are among other places that can be visited at no charge.

The INC indicated that the mentioned cultural places usually open from Tuesday to Sunday, however, on this occasion they will be opened seven days a week.
News source: ANDINA

Living in Peru

Noche de Arte announces a call to artists for the annual exhibition-sale to be held this year, October 3rd to 5th.

Peruvian painters, sculptors and photographers on a national level have the opportunity to participate in the most successful and largest exhibition in the country.

This year Noche de Arte will be held in Puericultorio Pérez Aranibar. The prospectus is available on our website: www.nochedearte.com and artists are asked to submit up to 4 digital photos of the pieces of art work with which they would like to participant.

Paintings and photographs must measure approximately one meter on each side. Recognized art specialists make-up the selection committee.

Selected artists will receive a letter confirming their participation around August 13 and this information will also be published on our website.

Noche de Arte began 39 years ago to promote art and to raise funds in support of institutions that work with Peruvians in need.

The event is organized by the United States Embassy Association (USEA). The funds raised during the 2007 exhibition were donated to Hogar Santa María, Hogar para ancianos Betania and the Hogar Niño Jesús de Praga, among others.

Last year, the number of sales for the show increased by 80% and the attendance increased by 35 % to reach more than 5,000 people.

Noche de Arte is the biggest and most democratic art event in the country. Promotes the best of recent art work including masters, recognized artists and young artists from all over the country. Last year 800 art work pieces were shown from more the 350 artists.

For more information, please contact: info@nochedearte.com.

Click here to find out how you can help in the organization of Noche de Arte.

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

The Chavín National Museum, which was built thanks to contributions made by the Japanese government and a Peruvian-Japanese fund, is to be inaugurated on Friday July 18.

Peru's President Alan Garcia, government representatives along with regional and local authorities will all be present at the new museum's inauguration.

The museum, which is located in the city of Chavín de Huántar, Ancash, was one of the main projects carried out by the National Institute for Culture (INC).

Those that visit the modern museum will enjoy an exhibition area that is over 1200 square meters (12,916 square feet) large and divided into 14 rooms.

The INC explained that objects which shed light on the levels of social interaction during the Formative Period have been placed on display.

One of the museums most valued pieces is the Tello Obelisk.

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Experts from Peru's National Institute for Culture (INC) found an array of altered cultural heritage products at the three artisan markets located in Miraflores, one of Lima's most touristic districts.

In a surprise investigation, experts from the country's INC - along with police officers and authorities from the public ministry - found 256 cultural heritage products being sold at these markets, which target tourists looking for souvenirs.

The two hundred plus products were confiscated from 25 stands located at the souvenir markets known as Galería Mercado Indio’s, Galería Indian Market and Galería Peruvian Market.

Police reported that two of the markets are on the 52nd and 53rd blocks of Petit Thouars avenues while the other is located on the 4th block of General Suarez Street.

All three of the souvenir markets are just minutes from Kennedy Park and Ovalo Miraflores, a roundabout that has a McDonald's, a Saga Falabella department store and a Curacao electronics store.

The majority of the cultural heritage products found were pre-Hispanic cloths that were being sold in pieces as well as on handmade dolls.

Furthermore, some of the cloths had been placed between glass and were being sold as coasters.

The Archaeologists Association will start tomorrow the archaeological field survey of the land where the museum of the American Institute of Art (IAA) will be constructed, informed the head of this institution, Carlos Ruiz Caro.

This museum would be located in an area close to the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman (Cusco) and will be dedicated to Cusco’s contemporary art.

Ruiz explained that IAA will finance part of project costs, while Peru’s National Institute of Culture (INC) would provide the proper staff members and logistics.

Ruiz recalled that the area where the museum would be constructed was used by the Peruvian archaeologist Luis E. Valcárcel (1891-1987) to collect the relics he dug out from Sacsayhuaman for their respective research.

Place with history

IAA representative said that “it wouldn’t be rare to find more objects. We might find new walls from the Incan construction in this area”, he said.

He also said that the members of the IAA have programmed to “take over” the lands close to Sacsayhuaman in “a symbolic way”. This area was donated several years ago by an IAA member to the institution with the purpose to build a museum. However, the construction didn’t take place due to some problems between both parties.

Ruiz added that IAA plans to build a museum that has every service available, such as an information center, a restaurant, and even a Sacsayhuaman on-site museum.

News source: ANDINA