STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Learn about the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Arequipa, Peru, on Thursday when Wood River Valley resident Jessica Maynard offers a presentation on her hometown.

The free presentation at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at Hailey Town Center West is the third in the Hailey Public Library’s Cultura series. Kristin Fletcher, the library’s programs director, organized the series as part of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15.

Arequipa is the second most populated city in Peru after Lima with a population of just under 1.5 million. It was founded in 1540 by explorer Francisco Pizarro as “Beautiful Villa of Our Lady of the Assumption” and since has been an industrial and commercial center.

Surrounded by volcanic cones, the “White City” is known for its many religious and military monuments and buildings and for the majestic condors that can be seen flying overhead in Colca Canyon. Colca Canyon is 10,730 feet deep, making it one of the deepest canyons in the world.

“Jessica, who works at Visit Sun Valley, was born in Arequipa, and all her family on her mom’s side is still there,” said Fletcher. “It’s the second largest city in Peru, sitting at over 7,500 feet and surrounded by a series of volcanic cones which dominate the skyline. It is a cultural and intellectual hub, home to Mario Vargas Llosa, the 2010 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, as well as many other writers, artists and scientists.”

Cultura concludes on Sunday, October 8, at 2:00 PM with violinista and educator Mauricio Molino speaking about Cali, Columbia, which is known as the “Rumba Capital” of the world.