After immersion in the jungle, the 700 km2 of the space center appeared to them as particularly futuristic. Whether from the stands of the Ibis site, where the constraints of protecting the center were explained to them, or in the Jupiter control room, or even on the Ariane 6 launch site, the listeners appreciated on site the professionalism of the multiple actors – military, engineers and technicians – who contribute to this great French and European adventure.
Beyond this geopolitical aspect, a series of demonstrations and conferences allowed listeners to learn about the difficulties of the missions of combating illegal gold mining, maintaining order in the department against a backdrop of drug trafficking, against illegal fishing, ort yet to perceive the challenges of submarine cables, and the difficulties of economic life in a continent structured by Mercosur.
Furthermore, by going to the Iles du Salut, they were able to discover a very particular historical aspect of the department: “the hell of the penal colony in a setting of paradise”! Indeed, even if they are today invaded by vegetation which is gradually regaining its rights, the remains of the penitentiary installations which once hosted Captain Dreyfus and “Papillon”, still exude, a century later, this astonishing atmosphere…
These strong and contrasting experiences allowed, without a doubt, listeners to strengthen their cohesion, but also to understand on site the challenges and opportunities that characterize this exclave French in South America.
