https://www.friendsofnotredamedeparis.org/notre-dame-cathedral/fire/

I wanted to talk briefly about this event that I’m sure everyone was aware of.  In April of 2019 the Notre Dame cathedral went up in flames and was mostly severely damaged by the fires. This event holds deep cultural significance,  even if you aren’t aware of it. Notre-Dame isn’t just a church, it is one of Frances most iconic monuments. Beyond that, Its one of the most iconic cathedrals on the planet. I have friends in France, and extended family in France. To them, this event was a personal loss. It represented nearly 900 years of French history, nearly 4 times as old as the United States. It’s tied to events like Napoleon’s coronation and the liberation of Paris in WWII. On a global scale though, Notre-Dame is  one of  the UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of Frances biggest tourist attractions. It garnered attention from across the world as the fire was shown on the news. Within days, countries around the world had pledged over 1 billion euros  to its restoration. This event really showed the importance of cultural sites and the importance of preserving history and spreading cultural awareness of other nations.