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Billionaires Donate $339 Million to Help Rebuild Notre Dame


Tue 16 Apr 2019 | 02:48 PM
Yassmine Elsayed

The billionaires behind many of France's top luxury brands have pledged €300 million ($339 million) to help reconstruct Paris' Notre Dame cathedral following a devastating fire, media reports said.

LVMH Group , which owns Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Givenchy, said that the company, along with the family of CEO Bernard Arnault, would put up €200 million.

The company said in a statement that the donation showed "solidarity with this national tragedy" follwoing the blaze at Notre Dame cathedral and that funds would be used to rebuild this "extraordinary cathedral" and symbol of French heritage and unity.

According to CNN, LVMH will also make its creative and financial teams available to help with rebuilding and soliciting donations.

The family of François Pinault, which controls brands including Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, has pledged an additional €100 million.

Pinault's son, François-Henri Pinault, who is chief executive of luxury group Kering (PPRUF), called the massive blaze at Notre Dame a tragedy.

"This tragedy is striking all the French people, and beyond that, all those attached to spiritual values," he said in a statement.

The blaze at Notre Dame on Monday devastated large parts of the 850-year-old church, including its iconic spire. The fire was extinguished after nine hours.