Founders of Independence Society

The Founders of Independence Society (Sociedad Fundadores de la Independencia), officially the Meritorious Society "Founders of Independence, Victors on May 2, 1866 and Qualified Defenders of the Homeland" (Benemérita Sociedad Fundadores de la Independencia, Vencedores el 2 de mayo de 1866 y Defensores Calificados de la Patria), is a Peruvian civic-patriotic association headquartered in Lima, the first of its kind in the country.

The society currently brings together its members in activities that worship the memory of the heroes and founding fathers of Peru's independence. The society has the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception as its Protector and Saint Rose of Lima as its Patroness. The company is an entity attached to the Ministry of Defense of Peru.

History
Once the operations aimed at consolidating the Independence of Peru were concluded, many of the Peruvians who participated in those days were left in the greatest distress, since the fiscal coffers did not have enough money to solve their needs.

A group of ex-combatants formed, among others, by Colonels Casimiro Negrón de la Fuente, José Domingo Espinar, Juan Basilio Cortegana and Canon Juan Sánchez achieved that on September 28, 1857, 140 heroes of independence signed in the Chapter House of the Convent of San Francisco the installation document in which the then Humane Society of the Founders of Independence (Sociedad Humanitaria de los Fundadores de la Independencia) is established. The then President of the Republic, Ramon Castilla, was appointed as its president and General Juan Francisco de Vidal as its Active President.

After the Peruvian victory at the Battle of Callao, President Mariano Ignacio Prado ordered that the name be extended in order to facilitate the entry of the combattants into the association.

Once the War of the Pacific was over, and Peruvian territory was no longer occupied, new institutions emerged with similar purposes. With the objective of unifying these institutions, by decree of November 2, 1937, all of them were incorporated into the society, adopting the name it has today.

On September 5, 1917, the Congress of Peru, chaired by Juan Pardo y Barreda, promulgated Law No. 2432, recognising the society as an official institution; with the right to be represented in civic ceremonies and to occupy, within protocol precedence, a place after the General Commanders of the Armed Institutes.

After the negotiations with President Augusto B. Leguía, the transfer to the society of the building constructed for the residence of Andrés Avelino Cáceres in 1924 was obtained. The transfer of the property was completed by the month of December and was inaugurated on the occasion of the first centennial of the battle of Ayacucho.

Headquarters
The society currently has a headquarters located on Av. Arequipa, in the Santa Beatriz neighbourhood. The building was originally built to be the residence of Andrés Avelino Cáceres, as well as a museum—the Museo de la Breña—due to his death in 1923, however, the building was transferred to the society.

The institutional headquarters is the main location of the society in which solemn sessions are held annually to honour the memory of various national heroes and celebrate commemorative dates. For this purpose, the premises have a solemn session hall adorned with various paintings, busts and statues of the heroes of the history of Peru. President Augusto B. Leguía commissioned Waring & Gillow Ltd. of London to make the furniture, curtains, carpets and decorations for the Session Hall and the President's room at the company's headquarters.

The institutional headquarters of the society was declared Cultural heritage of Peru on February 9, 1999.

List of presidents
The following is a list of associates who have served as active presidents of the institution: