Rescuing Notre-Dame de Paris

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Join us for a passionate presentation on this iconic symbol of France. President Michel Picaud of the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris and Mathias Sieffert of Harvard University will enlighten us on Notre-Dame’s unique and romantic history and its grave misfortune, including its infamous 1845 renovation and perilous situation today.

The panel will be followed by a cocktail reception with light refreshments.

Members

$15

Non-members

$25

About the Event

Notre-Dame de Paris welcomes more than 12 million visitors each year, making it one of the world’s most popular monuments. However, this beloved 12th century Gothic cathedral is suffering. Its gargoyles, pinnacles, rose windows, and basic infrastructure face irreparable damage from issues like pollution, rain, and the quality of stone used during a previous renovation. If left unattended, the monument could face a partial collapse.

All proceeds of this event will support the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris and its mission of restoring the cathedral.

About Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris

Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds to accelerate the restoration of the iconic Paris cathedral. The organization allows US citizens to make tax deductible contributions to the estimated $185 million renovation of this historic landmark. Learn more about the organization

About Michel Picaud

Michel Picaud is President of Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, a position he has held as a volunteer since its incorporation in October 2016. Prior to this he served as COO for International Markets of the Demos Group, a leading European learning and development company, and as President and CEO of HR Access Solutions, a leading Human Resources software provider part of Fidelity Investments. Michel was also SVP for Orange Business Services/Equant, CEO of Alcatel Réseaux d'Entreprise, and worked for the Bosch Telecom Group in France and in Germany. He is graduate of Ecole Polytechnique Paris, Mines ParisTech and Telecom ParisTech.

About Mathias Sieffert, PhD

Dr. Sieffert is a graduate of École Normale Supérieure of Paris, he holds a PhD in Medieval Literature (Sorbonne Nouvelle and Lausanne, 2018). His academic research focused on Late-Medieval French poetry. Currently, he is a part of Harvard University's Department of Romance Language and Literature, where he teaches French. Dr. Sieffert is passionate about France and the history of its language.

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