FIRST LADIES AND MINISTERS’ WIVES TO
VISIT TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN APEC SUMMIT WEEK
Seventeen first ladies, who will visit Peru on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, have already confirmed their participation to the tour including the most important historical places and tourist attractions in Lima.

APEC organizing committee has scheduled a two-day tour for the first ladies, as well as for wives of chancellors and ministers arriving to Peru.

In this first tour called "Lima, Ciudad de los reyes” (Lima, City of Kings), visitors will enjoy what streets and squares of the Historic Centre of Lima have to offer, reported this committee to Andina news agency.

Visitors will enjoy attractions such as the beautiful convent of Santo Domingo and its cloister, which is considered a real masterpiece of religious architecture and was the home of Peruvian Saint Martin de Porres, where their remains and Saint Rosa de Lima’s rest.

Another historical attraction included in this tour is the Cathedral of Lima, where visitors will be able to appreciate Churrigueresco style altars, and beautiful balconies, which will capture visitor’s attention.

They will also visit Lima's Main Square, the Municipality, the Government Palace, the Torre Tagle Palace, where the headquarters of the Peruvian Foreign Ministry is located, as well as the famous catacombs located in the church of San Francisco. They will also visit Peru’s Gold Museum, located in the district of Monterrico, among others.

First ladies and ministers’ wives will visit Lieman tourist
attractions during stay for APEC. (Photo: ANDINA)
 

OVER 3000 JOURNALISTS COVER
APEC PERU 2008 LEADERS’ WEEK
Over three thousand journalists from the 21 APEC member economies will cover all scheduled activities to take place in Peru's capital Lima from November 16 to 23.

Peru's APEC High-Level Extraordinary Commission (CEAN) has provided journalists with the International Media Center (IMC) which has the most modern equipment to facilitate the journalistic work.

The vice admiral (r) Luis Giampietri, CEAN APEC Chairman, visited the IMC facilities which include a journalists’ working area, international agencies booths, press conferences rooms, broadcasting and television area and a coffee shop.

During his visit he greeted journalists and technicians from different parts of the world and he noted that the International Media Center is “making a great effort” to provide media representatives with the needed facilities.

International and national journals, radios and television channels, started their broadcasts from the Media Room and Television and Broadcasting Area located at the IMC equipped with all the technical support needed for the different information reports.

IMC covers about 8,000 m2 area, and it is located at the Ministry of Defense Convention Center. It is worth mentioning that the IMC comprises the Press Room with 199 personal computers with Internet access, printers and photocopiers.

Foreign journalists in the International Media Center in Lima. (Photo: ANDINA)
 

PERUVIAN CIVIL DEFENSE
AUTHORITIES INSPECT APEC HOTELS
Peru's National Institute of Civil Defense (Indeci) began to inspect Limean hotels where world leaders and delegations will stay during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Lima.

The inspections aim to enhance and ensure security measures in the several hotels that will be hosting APEC leaders and senior officials.

Indeci representative James Atkins said that technical inspectors will also verify that security conditions have not been altered so as to ensure that civil defense requirements are being met.

The inspections are performed by Peruvian civil defense authories with the support of local municipalities such as Miraflores, San Isidro, Lima, Lince, San Miguel, Magdalena, among others.

Atkins added that upon request of APEC meetings organizers, Indeci will also inspect the three summit venues located in different parts of Peru's capital Lima.

Marriot Hotel, in Miraflores district.
 

 LIMA’S GOVERNOR INVITES APEC
LEADERS TO VISIT CARAL CITADEL
Lima’s governor Nelson Chui Mejía has invited world leaders attending the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit to visit the ancient citadel of Caral, the cradle of the American civilization.

One of the first leaders that would visit Caral citadel is Colombian president Álvaro Uribe, who has expressed his wish to go to this ancient archaelogical site in several opportunities.  

"The Colombian president's visit would be very important because it will further promote Caral around the globe. We invite him and the other presidents and heads of states such as China's Hu Jintao", he told Andina news agency.  

The ancient city of Caral is located about 200 kilometers north of Lima, in the valley of Supe. Many archaeologists and historians said Caral is the origin place of the American civilization.

Caral citadel located at the province of Huaura, Lima. (Photo: ANDINA)
 

LIMA, LA LIBERTAD & ICA TO RECEIVE OVER
60,000 TOURISTS DURING APEC HOLIDAYS
Limean provinces and departments of La Libertad and Ica are getting ready to receive over 60,000 tourists during non-working holidays in Lima and Callao declared by the government on the occasion of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, the Regional Director of Foreign Trade and Tourism announced.

The Executive has declared November 20, 21, 22 and 23 as non-working days on the occasion of this international event.

The head of the Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Dircetur-Lima), Emilio Diaz, reported that over 50,000 tourists will use holidays to visit several tourist attractions located in Limean provinces.

"Besides offering hospitality, Lima offers tourists the opportunity to visit archaeological and cultural attractions, enjoy sun and beaches, as well as having an experience on medical, natural, rural, gastronomic and adventure tourism", he told Andina news agency.
 

Huanchaco's sunset in Trujillo, La Libertad. (Photo: ANDINA)
 

6TH SHRIMP FESTIVAL OF CAÑETE
ON APEC LONG WEEKEND
In an effort to attract more visitors during the APEC long holiday weekend, the municipality of Lunahuaná, in the Limean province of Cañete, will host from this Thursday November 20 the 6th Shrimp Festival of Cañete River, which expects to receive more than 5,000 tourists.

Due to the APEC Leaders' Summit to take place the coming week, the Peruvian government declared November 20 to 22 as non-working days, besides Sunday 23 that is a regular day of rest.

Luis Zapata, in charge of the Communications Office of the Municipality, said to Andina news agency that this event seeks to promote the gastronomic quality of the southern district, as well as the different tourist attractions of this zone.

"The organizing committee considered appropriate to host the contest of shrimp harvesting during the long wekend, so Limeans can enjoy of the event and disseminate it", he said.

He said that the contest will be carried out in the daytime and night modalities, as well as in the category of ancient fishing, "the last one in order to remember how our ancient fishermen carried out this important work".

Peruvian Shrimps. (Photo: ANDINA)