Spain's 'Summer Night Alley Conversations' Proposed for UNESCO World Heritage Listing

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] A small rural village in Spain is pushing to register the tradition of local people coming outdoors on summer nights to chat as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage.

On the 8th (local time), according to the British daily The Guardian, the small town of Alga in the Andalusia region of Spain, with a population of about 1,400, is considering listing the village’s centuries-old tradition of summer midnight outdoor conversations on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

In Spain, not only in the Andalusia region but nationwide, there is a custom in midsummer when the heat is intense to bring chairs outside and gather with neighbors on the street to share small talk.

The idea to register this custom as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage comes from a 38-year-old young mayor. Jose Carlos Sanchez, mayor of Alga City, said, "We are pushing for UNESCO registration of this precious face-to-face conversation tradition to protect the centuries-old custom from the threats of social media (SNS) and television."

Since traditions such as Naples pizza from Italy, Finnish sauna culture, and Bosnia’s lawn mowing competitions are already registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, it is explained that the custom of summer night roadside conversations can also be sufficiently registered.

Mayor Sanchez said, "I want everyone to be able to engage in outdoor activities instead of staying at home on Facebook or watching television," adding that such evening conversations reduce loneliness and also help mental health.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.