The Mairie de Paris (City Hall) just announced a new “Carte Citoyenne-Citoyen de Paris” or a Paris Citizenship Card, free for any resident of Paris – of any nationality and at least 7 years old – “to promote civic pride and reaffirm adherence to the values of the French Republic”.
Some people may think it’s little more than a feel-good publicity stunt aimed at making the city’s multicultural kids feel more a part of the community, but I think it never hurts to err on the side of inclusion from an early age.
So what does this card actually do? It allows access to a diverse schedule of special events hosted by the City of Paris such as concerts, guided visits of municipal services and sights such as the Hôtel de Ville, official launches and sporting events, educational workshops and other interesting ways of making Parisians feel like they’re a part of the local community, and of course it’s also a way for City Hall to show off all the ways they’re working for the people of Paris (the entire spring schedule is already posted online).
The cards will be given automatically to school kids, but you can get yours by simply filling out the form online. Note: this card has nothing to do with the French naturalization process and has no legal value.
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