Certificate for protecting part of our country's history through the preservation and enhancement of its publications released between the second half of 1868 and 1900.
Peruvian Memory of the World-UNESCO Committee Chairman Fernando Lopez on Thursday delivered to
Editora Peru General Manager and Editor-in-Chief Felix Paz the
document which certifies that said publications —54 volumes in total— have been inscribed on UNESCO's Peruvian Memory of the World Register.
The delivery took place during a ceremony held at Editora Peru's Graphic Museum in Lima, where the newspaper exhibit titled "Memoria de Nuestra Nación" (Memory of Our Nation) was also inaugurated.
This exhibition brings together a selection of the most notable covers and news from the 19th century, including momentous events such as the Declaration of the War between Peru and Chile, as well as the death of Peruvian hero Miguel Grau, among other historic events.
Historical significance
During the ceremony, the
Peruvian Memory of the World-UNESCO Committee chairman valued the historical significance of these El Peruano publications not only for Peru but for the region because "they reflect the development of a nascent republic and its consolidation full of marches and counter marches."
The officer said he was
surprised due to the effort made by El Peruano Documentation Center staff to preserve the issues so as to protect the institutional and country's memory, which he was able to verify during his visit to the newspaper facilities.
Therefore, Fernando Lopez greeted and congratulated the entire Documentation Center team led by Nancy Rojas, as well as Felix Paz, who -he noted- has opened his office and his mind to safeguard the country's memory.
"You have left us pleasantly surprised. Institutions are realizing the importance of preserving and systematizing their memory, as well as of providing a service not only to their workers but also to researchers and those interested," he stated.
In turn, Editora Peru's top officer affirmed that the certificate received from UNESCO is "the culmination of hours of work" and efforts, despite the moments of austerity, of different people working at the newspaper, headed by the Documentation Center.
"Today, we have the task of disseminating memory; there are stages and it has demanded efforts, but today recognition is important for us. It occurs in a context of changes in a world that demands greater skills and presence in digital spaces," Paz stated.
"I hope that we will soon have the platform on which everyone, researchers and students, can review every topic we have addressed today," he added.
"Many thanks to UNESCO for this recognition. We are committed to moving new projects forward. Our country needs to learn about its past so as not to trip over the same stones twice, but rather to pass them and continue building," he expressed.
Fernando Lopez, Felix Paz, and El Peruano Official Publications Manager, Ricardo Montero, cut the ribbon that inaugurated the newspaper exhibition.
These important events are held within the framework of Editora Peru's 48th anniversary. The company began operations on February 12, 1976.