No sooner had the fire been put out at the Cathedral of
Notre-Dame in Paris than the backlash started, sparked by the
perceived double standards in reactions to disasters of this kind.
When President Emmanuel Macron said that France would
appeal for international help, someone tweeted, for instance, that the country should use the
money it “stole” from Haiti, referring to the vast sums that Haiti had to pay
the colonial power after declaring independence in 1804. The comment was
retweeted thousands of times.
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| The Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, after the fire. |
A third commenter, based in the Caribbean, slammed the media for the continuous
coverage of the fire, saying that “a cathedral" burns, and the press acts as if
a major catastrophe had happened.
Further, when the White House announced that the United
States would offer "assistance in the rehabilitation of this irreplaceable
symbol of Western civilization," social media commentators like Dana Vivian White wondered about
the missing help for Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, and the apparent
lack of assistance for destroyed U.S. black churches.
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| A painting of Notre Dame by student J. De Clercq. |
As people packed the area around the cathedral in the aftermath of the April 15 fire, one of the most frequent remarks was that Notre Dame belonged not only to the French but to everyone. The 13 million visitors it receives annually come from all over the globe.
The backlash does indicate, however, that many believe the
cultural traditions of some are considered more important than those of others. Looking at
the sites inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), it’s clear why this
is a concern: a few countries dominate the list, with France in fourth place
for the number of sites registered, after Italy, China, and Spain.
Numerous countries of the Global South are barely
represented on the list, although UNESCO is trying to remedy that, urging
member states to put forward sites for inscription. At a press briefing last
year, officials said that the UN recognized the issue.
What needs to be stressed, though, is that the world has a
stake in protecting monuments that are historically significant, wherever they
might be located. Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, who was in Paris this
week as part of her “Becoming” book tour, said in a tweet: “The majesty of
Notre Dame - the history, artistry, and spirituality - took our breath away,
lifting us to a higher understanding of who we are and who we can be.”
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| UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay (file photo). |
She added, "We are already in contact with experts and ready to send an emergency mission to assess the damage, preserve what can be preserved and plan short and medium-term measures".
The statement is actually nothing out of the ordinary, as UNESCO has mobilised resources to support restoration of patrimony in countries from
Haiti to Mali, especially when such patrimony is of global and historical
value. (We may argue about who decides on such value, but that is another
discussion.)
Notre-Dame forms part of the world’s collective memory. As a recent example, in
2010, hundreds filled the church after the earthquake in Haiti, participating
in a mass for the victims, coming together in sorrow and grief. Several in the
congregation expressed anger toward France and the West in general, for past and continuing injustices; Notre-Dame provided a space to do
so. It belonged to all who were there in that moment.
In 2010, Haiti’s then Minister of Culture Marie-Laurence
Jocelyn-Lassègue said, “For us, culture is not a luxury, not an accessory … It
is through culture and by culture that we’ll be able to develop certain aspects
of our society.” (http://www.ipsnews.net/2010/03/haiti-artists-join-un-to-rebuild-cultural-life/)
We all need to give increased global attention to exceptional monuments in cities less well-lit than Paris, in towns off the beaten track -
monuments being destroyed by warmongers, terrorists, state agents, vandals and
others; monuments lost to fire; monuments ravaged by hurricanes and other natural disasters. Leaders need to
send a clear message that everyone’s culture is important - particularly when it doesn't infringe on the rights of others.
We also need to restrain ourselves from expressing unseemly
glee when someone else’s patrimony is destroyed and instead work together to
safeguard universal heritage.
As Claire Oberon Garcia, a U.S. Black Studies professor and author, said: Notre-Dame is "a triumph of human ingenuity, aspiration, and longing for beauty and transcendent truths". It has meaning for all of us. - SWAN
INFORMATION ON WORLD HERITAGE DAY: http://whc.unesco.org/en/events/868
As Claire Oberon Garcia, a U.S. Black Studies professor and author, said: Notre-Dame is "a triumph of human ingenuity, aspiration, and longing for beauty and transcendent truths". It has meaning for all of us. - SWAN
INFORMATION ON WORLD HERITAGE DAY: http://whc.unesco.org/en/events/868
