The case of Notre Dame tells us to place our humanity and culture at the very heart of the much-needed transformation of our society, based on principles of sustainability and inclusion
On 7th and 8th December, French President Emmanuel Macron invited leaders from Europe and beyond, including the Federal President of Germany and the U.S. President- elect, to Paris. This occasion saw the world pay tribute to the courage and dedication of the firefighters of Paris who saved the Cathedral from total destruction back on 15th April 2019, and to the impressive savoir-faire of the 2,000 heritage professionals and craftsmen and artists from many different disciplines who completed the seemingly impossible possible of resurrecting Notre-Dame in five years! Of course, such a triumph would not have been possible without the vision, audacity and support of President Macron and the unprecedented generosity of 340,000 donors – big and small – not only from France, but also from 150 other countries. The Government of Serbia also provided a gesture of solidarity with France and Notre-Dame by donating the sum of €1 million, while its current prime minister attended the 7th December opening ceremony.
I had the honour and joy of experiencing the superb result of this heritage “chantier du siècle” during a special service held by the Archbishop of Paris on 11th December to express gratitude for the many donors. Notre- Dame’s renaissance has sent a message of solidarity and hope to people across France, Europe and the World. It has also demonstrated the huge unifying and healing power of cultural heritage for citizens and their communities. The case of Notre-Dame tells us to place our humanity and culture at the very heart of the much-needed transformation of our society, based on principles of sustainability and inclusion.
Investing in the protection of cultural heritage isn’t a luxury, but rather the best investment in a sustainable future
Notre-Dame also sends a strong message of encouragement to all the experts and members of civil society in Serbia who are dedicated to saving this country’s rich cultural heritage, whether built or natural, tangible or intangible. That heritage is today threatened by various forms of unsuitable and unsustainable development projects, as well as by an unacceptable lack of respect for the rule of law: from the ongoing campaign to protect the Belgrade Fortress to the more recent mobilisation of experts and civil society in defence of the Generalštab [Army General Staff HQ], an iconic 20th century building in the historic centre of Belgrade that represents a masterpiece of Modernist architecture and was designed by renowned architect Nikola Dobrović.
Like the immense significance of Notre-Dame for France and its people, these and many other heritage sites are vital to the DNA of Serbia and to the cultural identity, sense of pride and belonging of its people. It is also an invaluable resource for improving quality of life and the environment in Serbia, as well as a key asset for the promotion of sustainable tourism in the country and the wider region. For this reason, the public authorities at all levels of governance ought to make preserving the authenticity and integrity of the country’s cultural heritage a much higher priority. This heritage is also the best proof of Serbia’s strong historical and cultural links with the rest of Europe, across time and borders. Investing in the protection of cultural heritage is therefore not a luxury, but rather the best investment in Serbia’s sustainable future and full integration into the European Union.
Serbia’s rich cultural heritage urgently needs a nationwide strategy, a true “Cultural Heritage Deal” that recognises the multiple values and benefits of cultural heritage and duly involves experts and civil society in its renaissance, based on principles of the quality of life defined in European and international Conventions that would benefit the public interest of present and future generations.