SA Parlement – Xinhua

Notre Dame – BBC

Afrikaans:

Meer as 1500 wêreldleiers het die heropening van Notre Dame in Parys aan die einde van 2024 bygewoon. Sedertdien het verskeie beriggewers verklaar dat dit ‘n bewarings-meesterstuk is.

Die ikoniese katedraal met UNESCO Wêreld Erfenisstatus, het in 2019 ernstige brandskade opgedoen en is gedeeltelik herbou en restoureer teen ‘n koste van R13,6 miljoen. Die restourasie is op die beoogde datum voltooi en die amptelike opening het hierdie prestasie om die katedraal in so ‘n kort periode te restoureer, gevier.

Daar is wel ‘n paar erkende argitekte en ontwerpers wat met die oorspronklike beplanning van die restourasie-proses voorgestel het dat die planne moderne ontwerpe moet insluit. So ‘n proses sou volgens hulle meer outentiek en in voeling met die organiese verloop van geskiedenis wees. Tragiese gebeure word dus nie net in die Geskiedenis opgeteken nie, maar visueel geakkommodeer as dit gedoen word met insig, goeie moderne ontwerp en in simpatie met wat oorgebly het van die katedraal.

Dr Pieter Mulder het in ‘n Media 24 artikel die restourasie van Notre Dame vergelyk met die restourasie van die Suid-Afrikaanse Parlementgebou. Die Parlementgebou, met Nasionale Erfenis-status, het ernstige skade tydens ‘n brand in 2022 opgedoen. Meer as R2 biljoen is goedgekeur vr die herbou van die gebou en ‘n verder R118 miljoen is toegeken vir onvoorsiene uitgawes. Doktor Mulder het verwys na die simboliese en kulturele waarde van beide die katedraal en Parlementgebou. Hy het ook na die gefokusde veerkragtigheid van die Macron-regering verwys in vergelyking met die vertraging van die Parlementsgebou se restourasie en die ooreenstemmende, sigbare versuim deur die Ramaphosa regering.

English:

More than 1500 world leaders attended the re-opening of Notre Dame in Paris at the end of 2024. Since then, many commentators have hailed it as a conservation masterpiece.

The iconic cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, suffered severe damage in 2019 during a fire (see earlier newsletter) and was partially rebuilt and restored at the cost of R13,6 billion, meeting the goal set by French authorities. The official opening acknowledged the French achievement to restore the cathedral in such a short period of time to its former glory.

However, as a few renowned architects and designers argue, the renovation could have incorporated a modern design, in sympathy with what remained of the iconic cathedral. Such a renovation process can be seen as more authentic and in line with the unfolding nature of history and culture over time, so that historical tragedies are embraced with more informed insight, current design and modern equipment.

In a Media 24 article Dr Pieter Mulder compared the restoration process of the Notre Dame cathedral with the restoration process of the South African parlement building. The parlement building in Cape Town, a National Heritage site, was extensively damaged during a fire in 2022. Over R2 billion was secured for the reconstruction and another R118 million for unforeseen expenditure. Doctor Mulder referred to the symbolic cultural value of both the cathedral and parlement building. He also pointed at the focused resilience of the Macron government in comparison with the delay of the parliament restoration processes and the corresponding, tangible neglect that is in general demonstrated by the Ramaphosa government.