Billionaires face backlash for Notre Dame donations
The billionaires and companies that pledged millions towards rebuilding Notre Dame have received backlash for prioritising the historical cathedral.
After a fire broke out at the iconic Notre Dame in Paris, France, last week, several billionaires pledged hundreds of millions of euros to help rebuild the cathedral.
CNN reported that French billionaires and businesses have raised about $700m to help rebuild Notre Dame after the fire destroyed the roof, the spire and other parts of the building.
François-Henri Pinault, who leads the international luxury brand Kering which houses Gucci, has pledged $113m, according to reports.
Bernard Arnault, who owns luxury goods brands Louis Vuitton and Moet & Chandon, pledged about $225m.
Global oil and gas company Total has pledged 100m euros, while consulting and technology company Capgemini promised 1m euros, according to the CNN report.
Cosmetics brand L'Oreal, together with the Bettencourt Meyers family, promised to donate $225m, Reuters reported.
The large donations were criticised with many questioning why Notre Dame was made a priority over other global issues.
#NotreDame #GlobalWarming #EarthDay #puertorico #poverty #Flint #Billion #Billionaires #EarthDay2019 #healthcare pic.twitter.com/JLacjSg6jg
— carly hinksman (@shazuka) April 23, 2019
2 French billionaires snapped their fingers and raised $300,000,000 for the rebuilding of Notre Dame.
— Megan Romer (@meganromer) April 19, 2019
38,000 of us pledged what we could, ranging from $1 to $50,000, in order to raise $2,000,000 to rebuild a few black churches.
That’s what wealth inequality looks like.
The Notre Dame billionaires have given us a lesson in lobbying and tax relief. That should answer any question as to why they don't "donate" their riches to other more catastrophic world events.
— Kevin (@Agent_KSmith) April 23, 2019
Its funny billionaires have pledged more than R15bn to rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral and few bucks on Sri Lankan Easter bombing. Which one is more important, human lives or some monuments?
— benjamin manenzhe (@benjymanenzhe) April 23, 2019
Crazy that 2 billionaires donated 500 million each to help restore the Notre Dame, but there are still millions of homeless people on the streets. Something isn’t right here. Rest in peace to this man. https://t.co/dl1mzUwl6Z
— Abbs (@abbiecampbell__) April 23, 2019
so like are the billionaires donating to the notre dame gonna have the same energy for sri lanka or what i’m waiting
— jasmine (@mindofjasmin) April 23, 2019
Can people get some of the #NotreDame donations to go to #srilanka instead? Christian billionaires of the world, could you please pitch in here? Something infinitely more precious than spires were lost here...
— MyStarSignIsExhausted (@DellaLupi) April 23, 2019