Chankillo, declarado Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación en enero de 2008, es considerado el observatorio solar más antiguo de América, con una antigüedad de más de 2,000 años
The 2,250-year-old Chankillo solar observatory in Ancash region has won a grant from the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2016, sponsored by U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru.
The US$125,000 prize was presented by U.S. Ambassador to Lima Brian A. Nichols at a ceremony attended by Peru’s Culture Minister Jorge Nieto Montesinos, Casma Mayor Joshep Garcia, and World Monuments Fund representatives.
The diplomat stressed the observatory's age in the American hemisphere and its importance in the cultural and heritage scene.
He said the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation helps Peru rescue, preserve and add value to its extraordinary heritage.
Established in 2001 by the U.S. Congress and implemented by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the State Department, the fund has financed 23 Peruvian projects worth over US$2 million and has enabled the U.S. government to get more involved with Peru, “one of the cradles of civilization that keeps amazing the world.”
Nichols commented on the recent find of an over-6000-year-old fabric in the Chicama Valley of Peru, and said it evidences the valuable culture of Peruvian ancestors.
Peru is the country that has received the most funding in the Western Hemisphere.
Every year, the U.S. Embassy launches a nationwide contest requesting projects to compete for the Ambassadors Fund.
Projects are received, evaluated and sent to Washington D.C. to compete with projects from other nations.
(END) JCB/SMA/RMB/MVB
Published: 9/29/2016