The Embassy of France in Panama and the Panama Canal Interoceanic Museum officially presented the book 'The Panama Canal, a French Ambition' by French historian Samuel Poyard, in a conversation that brought together academics, researchers, and the public interested in the canal's history and the historical ties between Panama and France. The work deeply analyzes the French ambition of the late 19th century regarding the construction of the Panama Canal, begun in 1881 under the direction of the Universal Interoceanic Canal Company. The author incorporates unpublished documentation that shows how the French presence influenced the social dynamics and local perception of the interoceanic project, broadening the historical understanding of this period from a socio-political and human perspective. The research was considered a benchmark for the curatorial update of the permanent exhibition 'Building the Panama Canal', recently renovated by the museum. Its contribution strengthened the academic rigor, the international dimension, and the incorporation of new documentary sources into the exhibition narrative, consolidating the institution's commitment to a broader, plural, and contextualized historical interpretation. 'The history of the Panama Canal is not only a feat of engineering, but also a deeply human and shared story. This book allows us to rediscover the role of France from an unprecedented perspective,' highlighted the Ambassador of France in Panama, H.E. Aude de Amorim. For her part, the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the museum, Ana Elizabeth González, emphasized that access to archives linked to the French administration has enriched the institution's collection and strengthened the museum's historiographical approach, reaffirming the value of cultural cooperation as a bridge of shared memory between both nations. With this activity, the Embassy of France and the Panama Canal Museum reaffirm their commitment to historical research, cultural dissemination, and strengthening the ties between Panama and France around one of the most transcendent engineering projects in the world.
