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The tragic scenes on Monday, when the iconic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris suffered a catastrophic fire, which destroyed its roof, was a sobering moment for the entire planet.
Although most of the cathedral survived and no fatalities have been reported, there has already been a significant effort to restore the famous building to its former glory.
Within 24 hours of the fire breaking out, a reported €600m was raised in funds to help rebuild the famous gothic landmark, with major companies such as Apple and L'Oreal also pledging to donate tens of millions each.
Elsewhere, the White House has extended its condolences to the French people and offered to lend it's assistance to the 'the rehabilitation of this irreplaceable symbol of Western civilization.'
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Tuesday:
The United States stands with French citizens, the city of Paris, and the millions of visitors from around the world who have sought solace in that iconic structure.
The cathedral has served as a spiritual home for almost a millennium, and we are saddened to witness the damage to this architectural masterpiece.
Notre Dame will continue to serve as a symbol of France, including its freedom of religion and democracy.
It's unclear how the White House intends to assist the French authorities in their efforts to restore the historic building, but the announcement has been met with derision from US citizens who have lashed out at the Trump administration for neglecting similar incidents and disasters in the United States of America.
Examples included the ongoing clean drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan and the aid row for Puerto Rico, which is still struggling to recover from a hurricane which struck the island in September 2017.
Others highlighted a group of black churches in Louisiana which were destroyed by arsonists two weeks ago and have received a huge influx of donations thanks to a viral GoFundMe page.
HT The Hill
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