Establishing the European Historic Café Association

  The idea of the European Historic Café Association was born in October 2012, in Chania, Crete, Greece, by Vasilis Stathakis, business owner of the historic Café “KIPOS”. The historic Café “Kipos”, has been operating continuously since 1870 as a major point place of interest in the heart of the city of Chania, attracting people of culture and art, having also served, as the Parliament of the Cretan State (09/12/1898).

  Nowadays we host high quality events: artistic, culinary festivals, literary, musical and thematic evenings, etc. It is the only Café in Greece that hosts a unique experience, a permanent exhibition of historic photography, tracing the history of the Café and that of the city, which also illustrates the Cretan State civilization and culture.


ONE PLACE,

ONE HISTORY … The most famous European Historic Cafes embraced the time honored combination of coffee and culture, having at times shown their hospitality to many important people of literature, art, politics and to those who have defined, in their own way, the history of their era. It would be to the best interest of these cafes to create a bridge of communication for the exchange of opinions and organization of prestigious events, which will help the promotion and the cultural approach of every country in which these cafes are established.

GOALS AND BENEFITS … Aiming at a better communication and establishing a business network between its members, the Association is to promote the history, culture, products and tourist interest, so as to generate the desire to all friends of gastronomy and coffee around the world, to visit the city where each of its members is located. Through prestigious events, the Association will have many to offer, not only to its members but also to the place in which a café-member is situated and hosts one of the events.




WAYS OF PROMOTING THE GOALS AND THE BENEFITS OF THE ASSOCIATION … The European Historic Café Association, a non-profit Association, hereafter referred for the sake of brevity as “EHCA”, is based on the need to encourage, protect and preserve the cultural, architectural and artistic heritage or the Historic Cafes, in national and European level. It pursues the promotion and safeguards the cultural heritage, with respect to differentiations in each Country, along with the revival and development of the historic Café culture.

The main objectives of the association are:

- To create the Route of European Historic Cafés, approved by the Council of Europe. This Route will link the cultural and historic heritage of the Cafés.

- To establish a strong cooperative network between the Cafés, encouraging the exchange of experience among the Association’s members.

- To enhance and protect the architectural, cultural and artistic heritage in close collaboration with local authorities and governmental bodies along with their integration within the development policies of each Café‘s home city. This will be an experience that each Café will share in European level.

- To promote the Association’s objectives in close cooperation between European institutions and European support programs.
 
- To encourage the development of research, with analysis, studies and statistics within the Café sector, the local historic, artistic and cultural heritage.

- To promote the exchange of experiences and good practices between its members.

- To promote a new development strategy within the historic Cafés sector, taking under consideration the possibilities that concern culture and the promotion of cultural tourism.

- To develop a European touristic product, which commercialized, at an international level may generate financial rewards to the EHCA and the home towns of its members.

- Some of the most famous historic Cafés of Europe have already shown great interest in participating.



They are in: Austria, France, Italy, Hungary, Holland, etc.


Vasilis Stathakis http://kiposcafe.gr/

Tel.:  +30 28210 54520
Fax:  +30 28210 56260