Lima, Peru – UPF-Peru held a meeting Dec. 6, 2014, to celebrate the anniversary of the UN International Day of Human Rights in a very historical environment: the former Senate building and ancient place of the Inquisition (see note below).
It was also a special event to create a Peace Council in UPF-Peru, and a select group of Ambassadors for Peace gathered to be part of this Inaugural ceremony.
Speakers on the topic of human rights included:
- Ambassador Juan Alvarez Vita, expert on human rights and former Ambassador for Peru in Indonesia
- Retired Police General Hector Jhon Caro, a graduate in law and someone who is famous in Peru for his work to capture the leader of the “Shining Path” terrorist group in the 1980s He was UPF-Peru’s first president, in 2006.
- Mrs. Patricia Contador, lawyer and wife of Congressman Yonhy Lescano, who co-sponsored the meeting.
Dr. Trevor Jones also shared UPF’s vision for this day.
When the speeches were concluded, the Peace Council inauguration started. The first step was for all those gathered to recite together the Peace Council Pledge. This followed with the signing of a document.
The meeting concluded with the announcement of new committees who will be working based on the key objectives of the UPF.
Note: The Museum of the Inquisition and Congress is located in the old premises of the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Lima, ancient ecclesiastical court with jurisdiction over religious offenses. When Peru became a republic, this building housed the Senate and then the museum.
The property, located in the present Plaza Bolivar, is part of the cultural heritage of the country, dating from the time of the founding of Lima on Jan. 29, 1570, when the Tribunal of the Inquisition was established in Lima.
The Main Hall has one of the most beautiful carved wooden coffered ceilings preserved in Lima.
Following the independence of Peru, the site of the Inquisition was used for the first Constituent Congress of the country. Then it was the home of the National Senate until 1939, when it was moved to the new Legislative Palace.