Today's Edition
PARIS (AFP)
President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday expressed the "gratitude of the French nation" for the restoration of the Notre Dame cathedral after the devastating fire, saying "we have rediscovered what great nations can do -- achieve the impossible".
"We must treasure this lesson of fragility, humility and will, and never forget how much each person counts, and how the greatness of this cathedral is inseparable from the work of all," said Macron at the re-opening ceremony.
Paris firefighters dressed in their uniforms were given a standing ovation at the re-opening of Notre Dame in recognition of their efforts in saving the landmark during a devastating blaze in 2019.
The word "Merci" ("Ihank you") was projected on the facade of the 12th-century landmark as the firefighters walked through the congregation of hundreds of VIPs, as well as builders and art restorers who took part in the five-year reconstruction effort.
The reconstruction effort has cost around 700 million euros ($750 million), financed from donations, with the re-opening achieved within a five-year deadline set by Macron despite predictions it could take decades.
Workers had to overcome problems with lead pollution, the Covid-19 epidemic, and the army general overseeing the project falling to his death while hiking in the Pyrenees last year.
