Paris bistros and terrace cafes seek UN status

Owners of the bistros and terrace cafes that are integral to the Paris way of life want the “je ne sais quoi” of their establishments to be recognised as of broader value and endangered.

They have launched a campaign to be named by the United Nations’ cultural agency as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding”.

Unesco has given that status to traditions as varied as a Mongolian camel-coaxing ritual, Iranian sailboat building and the sung prayers of indigenous Peruvians.

The association hopes to see its candidacy examined by Unesco next year. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo supports the initiative.

After the terror attacks of November 2015, Parisians rallied to cafes and terraces in a show of defiance.