The Ministry of Culture announced on March 19 that the Lugar de la Memoria, la Tolerancia y la Inclusión Social (LUM) will hold a commemoration event titled “Conmemoración Hubert Lanssiers, 20 años en la memoria” in honor of Father Hubert Lanssiers. The Belgian-born priest was known for his pastoral work in Peru’s prisons.
The event is scheduled for Sunday, March 22 at noon in the LUM auditorium in Miraflores and is open to the public. The ceremony aims to remember Lanssiers’ legacy, particularly his commitment to defending human rights and supporting those unjustly imprisoned during Peru’s period of violence between 1980 and 2000.
The program will begin with a religious service led by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts, followed by a formal ceremony featuring Carlos Álvarez Osorio, director of the Asociación Dignidad Humana y Solidaridad, which he co-founded with Lanssiers. Organizers say this tribute seeks to highlight decades of work dedicated to accompanying prison populations and promoting respect for human dignity.
In recognition of his contributions, LUM named its main auditorium after Father Lanssiers in 2019. This space serves as a venue for civic engagement, public dialogue, and cultural activities.
Father Hubert Lanssiers was born in Brussels on November 3, 1929. He was ordained as a priest in Tokyo in 1959 and arrived in Peru in March 1964. From 1974 onward, he worked closely with inmates at several Peruvian prisons including Miguel Castro Castro, Lurigancho, San Jorge, El Frontón, and Santa Mónica. In addition to his pastoral duties, he authored “Los dientes del dragón,” reflecting on his experiences within penitentiaries and Peru’s social context during those years. He passed away on March 23, 2006.
