Extend support beyond Notre Dame

The deadly inferno that ravaged the historic Notre Dame Cathedral established in the 12th century not only enshrines an evolving notion of what it means to be French, but it also shows what it means to be a global citizen — as we’ve seen in the outpouring of support from across the world of this iconic monument.

We all pray and hope that the damage caused by the fire — which thankfully did not cause any human casualties — will be restored, as promised by an emotional but determined French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Cathedral has been a beloved symbol of the city of Paris for more than eight centuries and it gets visited by millions of tourists of different faiths from across the globe.

It’s gratifying to see that donations have neared the $1 billion mark, and recovery efforts are going at full throttle. I would hope that the same fervor and sense of love and identity displayed by the generous philanthropic community is at least partly extended toward other historic and archeological sites — which are increasingly battling environmental pollution, erosion, acts of terrorism or sheer neglect across the world. Sadly, many of these other historical sites may soon be relegated to the annals of the world’s history, only to be seen in archives, documentary films and academic records.

Atul M. Karnik

Woodside, N.Y.