You must be living under a rock, if you somehow haven’t heard that yesterday, late in the afternoon, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was shocked, and partially destroyed by fire.
The 13th century building, stands tall as a testament to France’s legacy, and as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage list, is also testament to it’s rich and vibrant history. The damage to the building is difficult to conceive in our minds. The spire has fallen, and the roof is gone. And yet, I am grateful. I am not grateful that Notre Dame had to go through such an injury, but I am grateful for the fire-fighters quick response, and dedication to saving as much as they could, and I am grateful that much of the building still stands, resilient.
I am also grateful, to the people all over the world who have shared their anguish, sadness, and memories of the building, and to those who have donated to the restoration, whether it was one euro, or a million, to help with the repairs. I am grateful that people care so much about heritage. Eventually, the loss of heritage will be inevitable, even the greatest of monuments crumble, but I am glad the great Cathedral survives for another day.
Saving heritage is difficult to do. The destruction of Palmyra, torn apart by war, and the devastation at the National Museum of Brazil, last year, proves this. Even with the UNESCO World Heritage & Danger Lists, and ICOM’s Red Lists, and their funding initiatives, though well-intentioned, can take weeks to progress, and it is not always enough to deal with the immediate threats.
Notre Dame, though its loss is sad, now stands not only as a proud legacy, but also as part of the testament that no UNESCO list can save a building. Notre Dame wasn’t “in danger”, and yet their spire burned. It is up to us, and visitors, heritage officers, curators, and people, to safeguard and look our heritage, and to prepare for any emergency.
The Muse Talks 