Co-hosted with the Consulates of France in New York and Boston, Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris held two dinners to raise awareness and fundraise for restoration efforts to “Save Notre-Dame Cathedral”.
On October 2, old and new supporters of Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris gathered at the Consulate of France in New York to support the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Consul General Anne-Claire Legendre opened the evening with wonderful remarks evoking the great cultural tradition of Notre-Dame Cathedral. Monseigneur Patrick Chauvet, Rector of Notre-Dame de Paris, explained the history of the cathedral and noted the centuries-long friendship between the United States and France. Michel Picaud, President of Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, presented the guests with images of the damaged state of the cathedral, including a video that showed up close the extent of the damage. Guests audibly gasped upon seeing how stones of the cathedral crumbled under the slightest touch. The presentation also included the plans and budget needed to restore Notre-Dame de Paris, highlighting the urgency of the work to be done.
To conclude his presentation, Michel asked the attendees, “How many of you have been to Notre-Dame Cathedral?”. Almost every hand went up around the room. He followed the question by asking, “How many of you would like to contribute to the restoration so your grandchildren can visit Notre-Dame de Paris in the future?”. It was heartening to see so many hands remain raised.
The evening was a success and introduced the organization to new supporters. Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris is grateful to the Consul General for hosting this beautiful event, and to our dedicated Board Members and distinguished guests for attending. The room was filled with leaders in the French-American community, business executives, dedicated philanthropists, and many more who support Notre-Dame de Paris’ future as strongly as we do.
Introducing Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris to Boston
On October 9, an intimate group gathered at the Residence of the Consul General in Boston. In addition to introducing Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, the occasion served as an introduction for the new Consul General Arnaud Mentré, who hosted this dinner as his first event since arriving in Boston several weeks earlier. The atmosphere was wonderful, and the guests were enthralled with the project and enjoyed the evening. Again, Michel made a heartfelt plea for Notre-Dame Cathedral following his presentation and was met with a encouraging response, like he had received in New York. This dinner was made possible by Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris Board members Brigitte Moufflet and Wesley R. Johnson Jr., both of whom were in attendance.
Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris is honored to have the support of the Consul Generals of New York and Boston, as well as the guests who shared their valuable insights and advice. These two dinners were the first of their kind for the organization to raise awareness about the urgent need to save Notre-Dame Cathedral.
About Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris
Founded in 2017, Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris is the official nonprofit organization in the United States raising funds to support the restoration and preservation of Notre-Dame Cathedral, which has not had major repairs since the mid-1800s. Since its inception, Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris has been hard at work, building a community of Friends in the United States and raising funds to complete the most crucial stages of the reconstruction efforts.
Notre-Dame Cathedral’s renovation works are prioritized according to the areas at greatest risk, starting with the spire, the roof, and the choir, followed by the sacristy, the transept, the nave, and the towers. Work cannot begin on new projects until funding is secured for the entire project. The support and generosity of American donors and the dedication of the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris community will help make the restoration of this cultural heritage monument possible.
To learn how you can contribute to saving Notre-Dame de Paris, please visit our website, and sign up for the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris newsletter to stay up to date on the restoration.