The Peru Gazette

The Town of Peru, New York is privileged and honored to have government representatives from the Republic of Peru, South America visiting Peru, New York. This historic, first-time festive ceremony will occur on Sunday July 20th, 2014.  This event has been arranged and coordinated by the Town of Peru Supervisor, Mr. Peter Glushko and Mr. Rodolfo Flores, Executive Director, International Peruvian Festival.

Sunday, July 20th, 2014 at the Peru, NY Town Hall

• 9:30 AM  Mass Celebration at St Augustine’s Church (located across the street from the Peru town hall)
• 10:30 AM Welcoming remarks by the Peru Town Supervisor and the Peruvian Consulate from New York City.
• 11:00 AM  Raising of the Peruvian and American Flags, followed by honor toasting of the Republic of Peru celebrating their national Anniversary
• Artist performances and light Peruvian refreshments follow.

Facts on the “Republic of Peru”

Peruvian territory was home to ancient cultures spanning from the Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America. The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and established a Viceroyalty with its capital in Lima, which included most of its South American colonies. After achieving independence in 1821, Peru has undergone periods of political unrest and fiscal crisis as well as periods of stability and economic upswing. Economic cycles have mostly been based on the extraction of raw materials like guano (1845–1866) and rubber (ca. 1900).

Peru is a representative democratic republic divided into 25 regions. Its geography varies from the arid plains of the Pacific coast to the peaks of the Andes Mountains and the tropical forests of the Amazon Basin. It is a developing country with a high Human Development Index score and a poverty level around 25.8 percent.[6] Its main economic activities include mining, manufacturing, agriculture and fishing.

The Peruvian population, estimated at 30.4 million, is multiethnic, including Amerindians, Europeans, Africans and Asians. The main spoken language is Spanish, although a significant number of Peruvians speak Quechua or other native languages. This mixture of cultural traditions has resulted in a wide diversity of expressions in fields such as art, cuisine, literature, and music.

The Andes Mountains take up much of Peru, dividing the country into three sections. The Andes are a constantly changing mountain range, so they are prone to earthquakes, landslides, and flash floods. The Andes, are also filled with great beauty, such as the great Incan city of the clouds, Machu Picchu, which is a major tourist destination, and the huge Lake Titicaca. Near Huancayo lies Nevado Misti, a 18,500 foot peak, from which emerges a stream that is considered the source of the Amazon, the world’s largest river. It flows eastward, joining other rivers, themselves flowing north and east until the Maranon and Ucayali, two great rivers of lowland Amazonia, meet to form the Amazon River itself.