Peruvian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Peru lies on the Pacific coast of South America and is home to Machu Picchu, the Andes and a large part of the Amazon rainforest. Spanish and Quechua are official languages. Peruvians in Birmingham include professionals, students, families and people working in hospitality.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 2,281 people living in the city had been born in South America, a group that includes Peru; and 976 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Hispanic or Latin American.

Working for Birmingham

Peruvian residents work in hospitality, healthcare, education, engineering and business, and Peruvian chefs have helped to put their country's cuisine on the map in Britain. Peruvian students and academics contribute to the city's universities.

Birmingham is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in Europe, and its progress has always depended on people who chose to make it home. Its hospitals, schools and universities, its building sites, workshops, warehouses and kitchens all rely on skills brought from around the world. The Peruvian community adds its own share to that effort, and takes pride in giving back to the city that welcomed it.

Culture and community life

Peruvian food is one of the world's most celebrated cuisines, from ceviche and lomo saltado to pisco sour, and Chakana in Moseley has brought it to Birmingham diners. Inti Raymi, the Inca festival of the sun, and Independence Day on 28 July are celebrated with music and dance.

For anyone who wants to learn more, the best introduction is the simplest one: say hello. Birmingham's communities are at their best when they meet, share food and learn from one another, and the Peruvian community is a warm part of that everyday exchange.