In the mind of Christian Estrosi, since the end of 2012, the project has been part of the electoral program of the mayor of Nice. For now, it is only at the wish stage because the application file must be submitted to the French government, which will assess its relevance in light of the criteria developed by UNESCO and will then be able to submit it to the World Heritage Committee.
The project gained momentum with the arrival of former Culture Minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon in his cabinet, who will lead a commission in charge of this application. His appointment has been criticized by the opposition, which also revisited the cost of this collaboration.
The mayor of Nice dismissed these criticisms, stating that this cost is included in the cabinet’s budget… As if it wasn’t paid out of public funds!
In any case, the stature and skills of the former Minister of Culture, president of the Pompidou Center and the Palace of Versailles, are above any sterile controversy, and it seems evident that such delicate files must be handled by personalities of national and international stature to have a chance of success.
The artisanal management, to put it mildly, of Nice’s candidacy for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games is a good example to understand that with favoritism, you don’t get very far.
This file will have to be examined by a technical committee accustomed to international quality standards. Competition from other applications will be fierce, and it is not by serenading that the judges will render a favorable opinion. As a reminder, two other Azur-region files will be presented at the same time: the Mercantour Park (a cross-border application) and that of the Pays de Grasse, the world capital of perfumes. This implies that before facing the global level, a fratricidal struggle must be won where all blows will be allowed.
It is an ambitious but delicate operation where it will be necessary to demonstrate mastery of international relations and diplomacy that stands any test.
Jean-Jacques Aillagon is a recognized figure, and he already has to his credit, a few years ago, the operation that led to patron and collector François Pinault becoming the private manager of Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Salute, two of Venice’s most prestigious museums, outsmarting competitors such as the Guggenheim Foundation.
When you manage to convince Venetian “merchants,” you can very well face UNESCO experts! There couldn’t have been a better choice.
Famous worldwide, begun in 1822, the Promenade des Anglais was the first urban development intended to promote seaside leisure, becoming one of the symbols of the city of Nice. Other coastal sites around the world, such as Copacabana in Rio, the Malecon in Havana, or Venice Beach in Los Angeles, are said to have been inspired by this pioneering Azur-region site.
981 sites, including 38 French, have been classified into the various categories provided by UNESCO.
