Notre-Dame's decay and the Louvre's controversial plans

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, one of the city's most iconic landmarks alongside the Eiffel Tower, is suffering from severe deterioration due to age and pollution. Despite attracting 12 million visitors annually, maintenance costs are high, and a full restoration is estimated at €100 million. The French state provides only €2 million per year. To raise funds, a US-based foundation "Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris" has been created to solicit American patrons. Meanwhile, France is increasingly seeking foreign capital for cultural projects, exemplified by the Louvre's brand licensing to Abu Dhabi for €1 billion. Culture Minister Françoise Nyssen announced a plan to combat "cultural segregation" by sending the Mona Lisa on an international tour, possibly to the Louvre Lens and later to Louvre Abu Dhabi, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death in 2019. The Mona Lisa, considered an untouchable national icon, has rarely left Paris. Critics see the Lens proposal as a pretext for the more lucrative Abu Dhabi stop, where the painting could be displayed alongside the Salvator Mundi, the most expensive artwork ever sold, purchased by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Christie's New York in November 2017. The article questions the true motives behind the cultural segregation rhetoric.