INQUIRY EUROPE 1
The Senate examines Monday the text surrounding the restoration of Notre-Dame, disfigured by a violent fire more than a month ago. An event that sparked generosity from individuals, businesses and communities. But where are we collecting? And have these gifts already begun to serve? Europe 1 takes stock.
Where are we collecting?
One month after the fire, pledges for Notre-Dame, all organizations combined, reached 850 million euros. An amount sufficient to restore the cathedral, said the Heritage Foundation, one of four organizations approved by the state to collect donations. A fortnight ago, she decided to stop the subscription for Notre-Dame. This initiative was experienced as a betrayal by the Minister of Culture Franck Riester. "Even if the pledge is now 850 million euros, it is far too early to conclude that we have enough money or too much money to restore Our Lady," he said . And "there may be a difference between the pledges and the actual payment".
Concretely, the collecting organizations are not worried about the big donors like the billionaire François Pinault, the group Total or Bernard Arnault. The Notre-Dame Foundation has a meeting Monday with LVMH to plan the payment of 200 million euros promised by the leader. On the other hand, they are less sure of the donations promised by the communities because they must be the subject of deliberations. Some municipalities have already backtracked, such as Juigné-des-Moutiers in Loire-Atlantique, Marck in the Pas-de-Calais, or Morbecque in the North. Recently, the City of Lyon has also decided to wait before paying the 200,000 euros provided.
Have donations already begun to serve?
Some donations are already being used to secure the building site on which 150 workers are now working. "We have received 15.5 million euros and the State asks us 3.6 million euros to finance this securing of the site," says Christophe Rousselot, the general delegate of the Notre-Dame Foundation. "When the law is passed, we will have a description of the site by slice and according to this description, we will operate the payments".
In contrast, donations made by individuals are still being processed. For example, at the Heritage Foundation, there are still 6,000 checks left to process. This takes time because it is necessary to establish the donor records before sending these checks to the bank. What to occupy every day a dozen people. It is also necessary to treat cash donations. "We had about 5.000 euros in cash, tickets of 50 euros, 20 euros, 10 euros ..." details Idalina Alonso, the accountant of the Heritage Foundation, one of the collecting agencies. But also foreign currencies, such as 300 pounds in 50 notes ( the equivalent of 341 euros, photo below ), given with a note. "We also had a Chinese tourist who came to bring us 100 euros in cash, he did not speak a word of English, just with the word Notre-Dame and his passport, he gave us a donation."
(Credit: Anne-Laure Jumet / Europe 1)
Can we still give via the Heritage Foundation?
The Heritage Foundation, which has decided to stop its campaign for Notre Dame, nevertheless continues to process donations that come to it. She launched an emergency fund for buildings in immediate danger. "These are sites that threaten to collapse, closed to the public for years, with perimeters of safety because there are stones that can fall on passers-by or because there are security risks fires which are not treated at all ", explains the general director of the foundation, Célia Vérot. "We believe that the message of Our Lady is that there are all these other legitimate causes as well." The Heritage Foundation hopes to raise between 1 and 2 million euros for this emergency fund.
Moreover, it is still possible to donate for the reconstruction of the cathedral via the Notre-Dame Foundation, the center of national monuments and the Fondation de France.