Foreign Affairs Ministers of Chile and Peru commemorate 200 years of bilateral relations in Machu Picchu

As part of the celebration of the bicentenary of diplomatic relations between Chile and Peru, Foreign Affairs Minister, Antonia Urrejola, travelled to Machu Picchu to commemorate the occasion, with her Peruvian counterpart, Minister Cesar Landa.

Following the 52nd General Assembly of the Organisation of American States (OAS), which was held in Lima, both Foreign Affairs Ministers travelled to Machu Picchu to unveil a commemorative plaque in honour of the chilean poet Pablo Neruda.

The unveiling aims to commemorate both the bicentenary of the Chile-Peru friendship and the 70th anniversary of the publication of "Canto General" by Pablo Neruda, which contains verses inspired by the citadel and its archaeological heritage.

Minister Urrejola and Minister Landa signed a joint declaration celebrating the good relations between the two countries, their international cooperation and, especially, their cultural exchange, represented in artistic expressions such as Pablo Neruda.

The chilean poet visited the citadel in 1943, a trip that inspired the Nobel Prize winner to write the poem "Alturas de Machu Picchu", one of his best-known works, which was even set to music by the chilean group Los Jaivas.

"Since their publication in 1950, these verses have been translated and reproduced countless times. So, in this place so full of history, who could not feel touched?", Minister Urrejola commented during the ceremony. "This symbolic act shows us that our convergences are not only the product of a rich past of common interests, but that today they emerge as a cornerstone to jointly face the challenges of the present and the future," she added.

The Minister also announced that the book "Canto General", seven decades after its publication, will be translated into quechua, so that "Quechua-speaking people from different parts of the world, but mainly those linked to the territory that motivated its creation, can access and learn about the relevance of this book", said Minister Urrejola.

The announced book will be a bilingual edition, containing Pablo Neruda's poems in both spanish and quechua. "In this way, chileans and peruvians confirm the depth and permanence of our cultural ties, as well as our permanent vocation and will to continue strengthening the ties that unite us and to aspire to a shared future for the benefit of the development and well-being of our peoples," the chilean Foreign Affairs Minister concluded.

Lastly, both Foreign Affairs Ministers confirmed that bilateral activities will continue at the IV° Presidential Meeting and Binational Cabinet, to be held in Santiago de Chile on 28 and 29 November.