Professor Louis Godart speaking with Dimitra Papanou

"Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his interview with BBBC News commenting on the havoc caused by Elgin's theft of the Parthenon Marbles and the constant refusal of the British authorities and the British Museum to return Phidias' sculptures to Greece, used a beautiful image: he said it would be as if the Mona Lisa were torn into two pieces. Therefore, it is necessary to reconstruct what existed before the dismemberment of the temple of the goddess.

I would like to add a suggestion in Mitsotakis' speech: the Mona Lisa is the work of a Renaissance genius, while Phidias' sculptures are masterpieces belonging to the people who invented democracy. In this regard, they are worth much more in the eyes of the world than any other masterpiece produced by people's art.

The British Prime Minister wanted to cancel the meeting with his Greek counterpart for one simple reason, in my humble opinion: he is ashamed and continues to argue before world civilisation that Britain does not intend to return the ill-gotten gains. Mr Sunak, knowing full well that he is wrong, behaves like a vulgar recipient of despicable theft and prefers to get away with those who, like Mitsotakis, demand the return of an asset belonging to Greece for their country. This attitude is unworthy of the Prime Minister of a large country like England.

In 1940 its pilots RAF saved the world in a crucial battle, defeating Nazi planes. Today, however, England does not seem worthy of its past.

May the cries of protest from all over the world open her ears."

Professor Louis Godart, is the former Professor of Aegean Civilization in the Faculty of Letters at the University of Naples Federico II. From February 2002 to 2016 he has been the Counsellor for Artistic Heritage of the President of the Italian Republic. Now he is Counsellor of the Minister of European Affairs.He is also the Chair of the Italian Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, and past President of the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures. 

November is one of those long months, almost at the end of yet another year. It certainly has caused plenty of media frenzy in past years, and this year seems to be no exception.

Our own enthusiasm with regards to the dialogue that has been ongoing between Greece and the UK on the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles was resting on 'British fair play', and Greece's magnanimous gesture of more Greek artefacts not seen outside of Greece to be exhibited at the British Museum, a gesture made over 23 years ago and repeated ever since.

There was concern for George Osborne's suggestion of a 'Parthenon Partnership', exchanges of cultural artefacts with rotating loans that would enable the British Museum to continue to hang onto the sculptures already in Room 18. This 'new' British Museum vision, falling short on the call to reunify the surviving Parthenon Marbles, in the Acropolis Museum. 

This weekend's interview between Laura Kuenssberg and PM Mitsotakis, followed more coverage on Monday, and the cancellation of the meeting with PM Sunak. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised but what is more of an affront was that PM Sunak suggested PM Mitsotakis meet with Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister.

Many of you will remember that for 19 months from Feb 2020 to Sept 2021, Mr Dowden was also Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. There have been so many in that specific post during these past 13 years, that one could be forgiven for not remembering.

The Times interviewed Mr Dowden in March 2021: "Dowden said that while he loved the Benin Bronzes, he had “never related that much to the Parthenon Sculptures". He added: “Would they have survived the Nazis rampaging through Athens during World War II. It is a slightly trite argument but there is a truth. Would the Benin Bronzes have survived various international conflicts?”

Needless to say some of our members took to what was then twitter to express their disappointment at Oliver Dowden's comments.

PM Sunak's decision to cancel his meeting with PM Mitsotakis today, Tuesday 28 November, was made late in the day, and the suggestion that the meeting could take place with Oliver Dowden, a person that two years ago was unaware of how the Greeks safeguarded their artefacts during WWII, was not going to make PM Mitsotakis any happier.

Maggie Dietz's 'November' poem begins with 'Show's over, folks', and the media's coverage of PM Mitsotakis London visit this November simply highlights the regressive stance of the UK with regards to the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. For now we will continue to hang onto Janet Suzman, our Chair's words: la luta continua.