Peru Host Community

Lima was founded on January 18, 1535, by the Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro. Dubbed the "City of Kings", Lima is today a vast metropolis of seven million people which blends the splendour of its colonial past with the modern era.

Nestling on the banks of the Rimac River and on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, Lima is home to the seat of government, the country's leading educational and corporate institutions, and 30 percent of the country's population. Miraflores, where teams are lodged, is a district of the Lima Province known for its shopping areas, gardens, flower-filled parks and beaches. Late in the 1920s, Augusto Perez Aranibar, a Peruvian dentist and philanthropist, puchased a large tract of land along the shoreline on the outskirts of Miraflores and worked with local architects to design and build a "palace for the abandoned." The institution (the PPA, where Global Volunteers works), opened its doors in 1930 and is now run by Peru's Ministry of Family Welfare and Women's Affairs.

The culture of Peru was shaped by the relationship between Hispanic and Amerindian cultures. The ethnic diversity and rugged geography of Peru allowed diverse traditions and customs to coexist. Spanish is the most commonly spoken language, however, Quechua is a major legacy of the Inca empire, and is still spoken with regional dialects in many parts of the country, particularly in the Andes.

Five hundred years ago, Peru was the heart of the Inca Empire having Cusco as its capital. By the 16th Century, the Empire was devastated by the invasion of Spanish "conquistadores" or conquerors. These conquerors came in search of gold and silver and found it among the riches that lie in the Andes. Peru soon became the principal source of wealth for the Spanish elite, particularly the monarchy. In the process, the Inca lifestyle that had continued happily for over five hundred years was left in tatters.

Today, almost half of the population of Peru is pure Quechua, the Indian descendants of the Incas. The culture of the land strongly reflects the influence of the Incas. The Incas were a highly organized and civilized people. They were skilled in stonework, engineering, weaving, farming, the working of gold and silver and the building of roads. Tourists today can visit incredible archaeological remains that attest to the abilities of the Inca people. Read more about Peru's culture and people.