The worldwide emotion evoked by the fire at Notre-Dame of Paris in April 2019 was a reminder of the central role played by heritage in our societies and in the hearts of each and every one of us. This state-of-the-art restoration, the fruit of a worldwide collective effort and the use of many traditional French skills, has enabled this masterpiece to regain all its splendor. It is a dazzling demonstration of the universal attachment to the heritage of humanity.
Audrey AzoulayDirector-General of UNESCO, who will be taking part in the official ceremony on Saturday.
In 2010, UNESCO decided to inscribe 'Compagnonnage, network for on-the-job transmission of knowledge and identities' on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - bringing one of the last French movements for peer-to-peer teaching of ancient trade techniques back into the spotlight. The Compagnonnage network has used this listing to encourage the new generation of vocations after years of declining numbers.
Fifteen years later, this practice was at the heart of the reconstruction of one of the greatest masterpieces of Gothic art, Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, demonstrating once again the inseparable link between tangible and intangible heritage. The roofers and ornamentalists, whose skills were recently added to UNESCO's List of Intangible Heritage, also played a key role in the restoration. The reopening of the building will help to promote a whole range of heritage trades.
These skills were also at the heart of UNESCO's restoration of the emblematic monuments of the Old City of Mosul, which is nearing completion this year.
Since the fire in April 2019, which led to the collapse of the roof structure, UNESCO has closely monitored the restoration of the Cathedral led by France, as it lies at the heart of the 'Paris, Banks of the Seine' World Heritage site. A mission of experts, led by the Director of World Heritage, visited the site in March 2022 to provide technical support in restoring the building to its original state.
The World Heritage Committee has assessed the state of conservation of the site and the progress of work on Notre-Dame of Paris three times, confirming that it is 'compatible' with the
Outstanding Universal Value of the property.
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre will be working in 2025 to learn from this restoration so that the best practices employed can be applied to other monuments around the world.
