On Friday, October 18th, 2013 the Peruvian Air Force will launch a Department focused on researching the presence of anomalous aerial phenomena. It will be called “DIFAA” which stands for the (Departamento de Investigación de Fenómenos Aéreos Anómalos or Anomalous Aerial Phenomena Research Department). This department will be directly assisted by a Civilian Advisory Council which, as far as I know, is a unique arrangement in the world. This council is composed of researchers, scientists and intellectuals and it includes Commander Julio Cesar Chamorro Flores (ret) who a few years earlier (while still on duty) directed the Peruvian Air Force’s UFO research office called OIFAA. During that time I also acted as a civilian advisor.

Currently, the Civilian Advisory Council also includes archeologist Manuel Aguirre Morales, research journalist Marco Barraza Camacho; the Director of the Peruvian Institute of astronomy Barthelemy d’Ans; Engineer and cultural events promoter Enrique Álvarez Vita; communications expert Patricia Meseth Petrucelli; philosopher Luis Enrique Alvizuri and I, Giorgio Piacenza Cabrera, sociologist and Exopolitics Institute advisor.

The prevalent attitude I surmise both in the Civilian Advisory Council and at the Peruvian Air Force is one of flexible, open-minded and also objective research and of considering the wide range of aspects which the UFO Phenomenon and the alleged or actual presence of extraterrestrial beings may entail. There’s also a desire to educate the civilian population on a wide variety of scientific and culturally appropriate subjects through conferences and other outreach events. While we currently don’t operate with a substantial budget, I think that all parties involved display a sufficiently flexible attitude and an interest to develop a more integrative, sui generis and still objective approach to research.

On Friday, October 18th, 2013 the “Dirección Nacional de Intereses Aero Espaciales” (DINAE) of the Peruvian Air Force (under whose jurisdiction the DIFAA operates) will host the inaugural event at DINAE’s headquarters in Miraflores, Lima, Peru and it will be accompanied by a formal explanation, presentation and two brief conferences with a question and answers period. Due to the limited capacity of the venue, the event is for the most part by invitation only. Archeologist Manuel Aguirre Morales will speak about the Nazca Lines from a more classical scientific perspective and I will speak about the possible presence of extraterrestrials and exopolitics. Distinguished academics, relevant political and military personalities plus the local and international press have been invited.

I believe this is an opportunity to bring exopolitical issues to the fore and to demonstrate that formal institutions can consider anomalous aerial phenomena and some of their possible implications as important, serious subjects worthy of scientific and cultural interest. As is well-known by UFO and exopolitical researchers, many countries in the Latin American region are actively pursuing a similar path to legitimate these issues and overcome the unnecessary stigma attached to reporting about UFOs and the possible or real extraterrestrial presence.

Giorgio Piacenza

Lima, Peru

Oct 14, 2013