How Flag Day was born in Peru

Every June 7 , Peru celebrates the National Flag Day ; a special date that seeks not only to pay homage to this national symbol but also seeks to remember all the heroes of the country who fought in the War of the Pacific.

Read on and discover why Peruvian Flag Day is celebrated on June 7.

How was Flag Day born?

Flag Day in Peru is celebrated every June 7 because it was so arranged by Augusto Leguía, who ruled between 1919 and 1930, on April 30, 1924 by means of a Supreme Decree.

The date of June 7 was chosen because on the same day in 1880 the Battle of Arica took place within the framework of the War of the Pacific . During this combat, Alfonso Ugarte saw that the Peruvian army was being cornered so he took the national flag to prevent his Chilean enemies from taking it and threw himself over the nose.

Since then Ugarte is one of the great national heroes despite having lost the battle in a resounding way. In total, the Battle of Arica ended with around 700 dead Peruvians and more than a thousand wounded who were taken as prisoners by Chilean soldiers.

Thus, the celebrations on June 7, when Flag Day is celebrated, commemorate the determination of the soldiers who did not surrender and fought for the defense of Peru and its ideals until the last minute.