Third Geodesic Mission France-Ecuador

The year 2016 marked the 280th anniversary of the First French Geodesic Mission in Ecuador. Led by Louis Godin, Charles-Marie de La Condamine, and Pierre Bouguer, members of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Paris, the First Mission aimed to measure the shape of the Earth. In addition to making significant discoveries in various fields, this First Geodesic Mission also fostered the earliest relations between France and Ecuador since 1736.

A Second Geodetic Mission took place at the beginning of the 20th century, in order to confirm the measurements and whose archaeological and ethnographic research by Dr. Paul Rivet revealed the richness and cultural diversity of the country.
To celebrate the 280 years of history of the First Geodetic Mission and the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, the French Embassy in Ecuador launched the Third Geodetic Mission in 2016 with over 25 media and scientific events, which involved the participation of highly qualified French and Ecuadorian experts:

– Franco-Ecuadorian scientific expedition to measure Chimborazo in February 2016, which established it as the highest mountain in the world.
– Exhibition “Meridian Ecuador, French Geodetic Missions” at the Metropolitan Cultural Center. This was the second major event of the Third Geodetic Mission, with over 25,000 visitors who were able to discover the geodetic missions through archives from the Paris Academy of Sciences.

Other numerous events stood out for their importance and magnitude, including:

– The international colloquium on geodetic missions that brought together speakers from France, Ecuador, and Spain.
– The period-inspired dinner featuring recipes from the 18th century by the San Francisco University.
– The “White Assembly” of the Grand Lodge of Ecuador, in honor of the geodetic missions and their legacies.
– The Geodesic Festival at the Middle of the World, which had thousands of visitors who could enjoy numerous attractions.
– The launch of a special issue of the magazine “Ñan” dedicated to the “Geodetic Missions”.

This memorable sequence of events that composed the Third Geodetic Mission served to celebrate, reinforce, and renew the contract of friendship and trust that has existed between Ecuador and France since the 18th century.