Doha: The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara) inaugurated today the Ecuadorian pavilion, featuring the third of four copies of the Ecuadorian artifacts distributed worldwide.

According to Qatar News Agency, the inauguration ceremony was attended by Katara General Manager Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, HE Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to the State of Qatar Pascual del Cioppo, and several of Their Excellencies ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to the state.

The artifact "Origin of Cocoa 2022" by discoverer Francisco Valdez, a ceramic vessel dating back 5,500 years, represents the earliest known examples of cacao consumption and domestication. It was produced by the Mayo-Chinchipe people who lived in the upper Amazon basin, now in southeastern Ecuador. The artifact was discovered by French researchers in 2022.

The Ecuadorian Pavilion at Katara, located in the VIP Hall of the Opera House, reflects Ecuador's rich cacao heritage, celebrating its historical connection to chocolate, as the country is regarded as the birthplace of cacao.

In this context, HE Pascual del Cioppo explained that the Ecuadorian Pavilion at Katara is a permanent exhibition celebrating Ecuador's rich cultural heritage, with a focus on its pride in cacao's origins. He highlighted that the ceramic vessel, an original from southern Ecuador, dates back 5,500 years and serves as a testament to the country's historical role in cacao cultivation, emphasizing Ecuador's status as the true homeland of cacao.