Disney Supports Notre Dame Rebuild

Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, says the company will donate $5 million to rebuild Notre Dame cathedral in Paris after a devastating fire on Monday. The fire, which is believed to have started accidentally as the 800-year-old cathedral underwent renovations, burned Notre Dame’s walls, roof, and iconic spire. Priceless relics and artwork like the Crown of Thorns were salvaged from the fire, and much of the interior remained undamaged.

“@notredameparis is a beacon of faith, hope & beauty, inspiring awe, and reverence. The Walt Disney Company stands with our friends & neighbors in Paris, with heartfelt support and a $5 million donation for the restoration of this masterpiece,” Iger Tweeted on Wednesday morning.

Disney produced the 1996 animated film “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” which featured the cathedral and its famous belltower as a plot device.

Other companies, including Apple, have pledged large amounts of money to help rebuild Notre Dame. Some of France’s richest families have already pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to restore the Paris landmark, which was built in the Middle Ages at the height of the Gothic period.

France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, promised on Tuesday to rebuild Notre Dame within five years, in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Some experts have called the timeline unrealistic, but Macron is sticking to his pledge.

“We have so much to reconstruct. So yes, we will rebuild the Cathedral of Notre Dame more beautifully. And I would like it to be achieved in five years from now. We can do it. And we will mobilize,” Macron said.