(London, UK, Wednesday, May 23, 2012) – Today, three campaigning organizations for the Parthenon Marbles, from the UK, USA and Australia, announced the launch of an international colloquy on “The Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles” to be held in London. The event is timed to coincide with the third year anniversary of the opening of the new Acropolis Museum and the occasion of the 2012 London Olympics one month later. There are plans to videotape and stream the proceedings online following the event for a global audience.
The colloquy is aimed to promote an open dialogue and create further effort for change, and will be held 19 June 2012, at the London Hellenic Centre, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. On 20 June, a planned organized attendance at the British Museum will take place followed by the launch of the “MISSING” global awareness campaign. This will include events scheduled around the world and online to mobilize support for the campaign. The colloquy is jointly presented by The British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM), The American Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures (ACRPS), and The International Organizing Committee – Australia – for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles (IOC-A-RPM).
Registration is now open. To learn more about the 2012 Colloquy including program and registration details, please visit www.parthenonuk.com.
“As the important international festival of the Olympic Games approaches in London, we intend through
this colloquy to remind the world that in London also there is another debt to Greece, which will not be repaid until the Parthenon Marbles in the British Museum are reunited with their other halves in Athens," said Eddie O'Hara, Chairman of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.
“This momentous event largely echoes the tireless efforts around the globe to educate and connect people and resources. By forging an open dialogue and coalitions among supporters, we hope to dramatically increase the level of awareness and support around the world,” said Michael J. Reppas, Esq., President and Legal Advisor for ACRPS. “For some, there will never be a right time to fight for the repatriation of the Parthenon Sculptures. We will not stop until the cause is won and the Parthenon Sculptures are back in Athens. We hope you will join us in our campaign to right this historical wrong.”
“I feel it is to the utmost importance that the British and Greek Government get together with an open mind and resolve this most important cultural property dispute once and for all, because this issue is not going away,” said Emanuel J. Comino AM, Chairman of the International Organising Committee - Australia - for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles. "We are grateful for the support we receive from the Australian Community and we are happy to be part of this colloquy. This support comes not only from Australians of Greek descent but also Philhellenes who share with us the strong belief that the Parthenon Marbles should be reunited under the Athenian sun. We must never forget that the Parthenon Marbles are an irreplaceable part of Greek heritage and national identity.”
Major Highlights
Amongst the distinguished speakers at the colloquy is world-renowned human rights advocate, George Bizos SC, a Member on the BCRPM Committee and lawyer to Nelson Mandela for over a half a century. Mr. Bizos will speak on issues relating to litigation. Day One (Tuesday, 19 June) there will be presentations by guest speakers from the UK, Greece, Australia, USA and elsewhere. Themes will highlight the concept of the “universal museum” as well as legal issues relating to the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. Confirmed speakers include Prof. Dimitrios Pandermalis, President of the Acropolis Museum; Dr. Tom Flynn, Art Historian, and Christina Borg, Literary Journalist, who will pay tribute to BCRPM’s friend and supporter, the late Christopher Hitchens.
The closing of the colloquy, Day Two (Wednesday, 20 June), will feature a planned organized attendance at the British Museum followed by the launch of the “MISSING” global awareness campaign with events scheduled around the world and online to mobilize support for the campaign – an initiative created by Konstantine Vaxevaneris, Creative Director of ACRPS. The campaign will launch with three targeted countries: UK, U.S. and Australia. A virtual component to the “MISSING” campaign will soon unite supporters online. All are encouraged to join this effort – to participate in the colloquy and support the campaign. Following the colloquy, we urge everyone to make a personal pledge to take this campaign within their own communities.
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Additional notes:
About George Bizos SC
Born in Greece in 1928, George Bizos fled his native country after the German invasion of 1941. Arriving with his father in Johannesburg, the 13 year-old understood no English. Yet, he graduated from Wits Law School and in 1954 was admitted to the Johannesburg Bar. He built an illustrious career on defending victims of apartheid human rights abuses, often acting in the 1950s for the practice of Mandela and Tambo. He represented the ANC at South Africa's post-1994 constitutional hearings. At present, he sits on the bench of the Johannesburg High Court. Odyssey to Freedom is his second book, after No One to Blame? - In Pursuit of Legal Justice in South Africa. He has been a supporter of the BCRPM for decades and is a great friend of Mrs. Eleni Cubitt, founder of the BCRPM.
About The British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM)
A group of British people who having considered the case for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles strongly support it and wish to campaign to achieve it. James Cubitt, a distinguished British architect, met with Melina Mercouri and Jules Dassin before he formed the BCRPM to campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to their rightful home in Athens. The Committee was set up in 1983 under the chairmanship of internationally renowned and universally respected Robert Browning, Emeritus Professor of Greek at the University of London. Then inveterate and accomplished, writer Graham Binns took over as Chairman from 1997-2002, followed 2002-2010 by erudite Prof. Anthony Snodgrass, Fellow of the British Academy, Professor Emeritus of Classical Archaeology, University of Cambridge. Currently former MP, Eddie O’Hara has taken on the role. For more information, visit: www.parthenonuk.com.
About The American Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, Inc. (ACRPS)
Formed by international litigation attorney, Michael J. Reppas II, ACRPS is the leader of the American charge for the repatriation of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece. Mr. Reppas, a widely cited author and legal scholar, has engaged in a near 15-year grassroots campaign with fellow Board members involving domestic and international lectures to advocate the cause. ACRPS is a duly recognized IRS § 501(C)(3) NOT-FOR-PROFIT organization, whose purpose is to educate the public on a local, state, national and international level on the compelling need to protect, preserve and repatriate looted cultural property to its country of origin – most particularly to effect the return from London to Athens of the Parthenon Sculptures. For more information, on this and ALL SIDES OF THE PARTHENON - A Touring Exhibition, visit www.ParthenonSculpturesUSA.org.
About The International Organizing Committee – Australia – for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles, Inc. (IOC-A-RPM)
Formerly known as the AHEPA (Australia) Committee for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles, the committee was formed in 1981 under the chairmanship of Emanuel John Comino AM. It was the first committee in the world set up for the restitution. The Committee aims to bring pressure to bear on governments and influence public opinion to ensure the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. For more information, visit: www.parthenonmarblesaustralia.org.au.
CONTACT:
UK – Marlen Godwin, for the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, Tel 00 44 1780 460145 m. 07789533791, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
USA – Michael Reppas, for The American Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, Inc., Tel +00 1 305 822 8422 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
AUSTRALIA – Emanuel John Comino AM, PSP, JP, for the International Organising Committee – AUSTRALIA – For the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles Inc., Tel + 00 61 2 9546 7726, m + 00 61 418204466 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Russell Darnley OAM, International Liaison for IOC-A-RPM Tel + 00 65 6 638 8573 m +00 65 9 716 8151 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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