United Buddy Bears are on show near the Eiffel Tower to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the twinning of Paris and Berlin and the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty which marked the official reconciliation between France and Germany after world war two.
The colourful bears – 140 fibre glass figures, one for each member of the United Nations – are created and painted by an artist from the country they represent. The 2m-high figures first went on show in Berlin in 2002 and have travelled to 25 countries and been seen by about 30 million people.
They have also managed to raise €2 million for international children’s charities. The exhibition in Paris runs until 18 November.
