World Construction Day is celebrated every November 17 in commemoration of the completion of one of the most significant engineering works in history: the construction of the Suez Canal, which culminated in 1869. This milestone marked a before and after in maritime connectivity between Asia and Europe, greatly facilitating trade between these regions.
The construction of the Suez Canal also had a dark side, as thousands of peasants were exploited in its creation, many of whom lost their lives during the process. Despite using machinery specially designed for the task, the magnitude of the endeavor exacted a high human cost.
Over time, the Suez Canal has not only been the scene of a constant increase in maritime traffic but has also allowed the entry of invasive species into the surrounding ecosystem, generating an environmental impact that persists to this day. This interference in local biodiversity has triggered challenges for ecosystem stability, highlighting the contradictions between human progress and environmental preservation.
