The article 'British museums weigh the cost of repatriating exhibits', by the Marketplace, quotes Tiffany Jenkins: 

“It’s about knowledge, about understanding, about preservation, about audiences. And it’s not about righting the wrongs of history,” Tiffany Jenkins said. “We should be thinking where can these objects be safest and where can they do the most good? Are objects going to be safe if they are returned to Nigeria, are they going to be seen by many people? I’m not convinced they are.”

Janet Suzman writes to Tiffany Jenkins and questions: "but we live in an age entirely devoted to attempting to right the wrongs of history do we not? All sorts of histories, pre-eminently that of slavery and the colonial occupations of countries and their peoples - and thus of those people’s cultures and possessions - are being questioned. And rightly so. Received mythologies of modern history are increasingly being re-thought and re-interpreted since the end of colonial powers. Britain’s was the most powerful and extensive and we know it took things because it could. The British Museum itself is an astonishing hymn to that concept.

Papers have reached their 50-year limit and are being released or coming to light. Those people who were there to tell the tale reveal are moved to recount the facts as they lived them before it’s too late. Things don’t stay hidden for ever. Pictures are being very slowly restored to their owners having been taken by the SS. Awareness of so many cultural appropriations is higher than ever it has been. Respect for others, so often falling short in practise, is, willy-nilly, now front and centre.

I’m a little surprised, too, that you don’t expand on what you mean by the phrase ’do the most good’. You were, I guess, being Aristotelean, but you might be doing the most good to a nation were you to return what is rightfully theirs, be it a precious skull of some ancient folk-hero, or works of sculpture unsurpassed in all of ensuing history.

Where can certain objects be safest you ask? I would suggest in purpose-built modern museums whose roofs don’t leak and in which the latest technology of temperature control and air conditioning exists. You yourself are an admirer of the stunning New Acropolis Museum in Athens (now more than 13 years old) as I've heard you say so. You cannot surely have a quarrel with the conservatory and scholastic skills at work there?

What I really fail to understand, though, is what the case can possibly be for denying a country authentic works of its own art. I know great art belongs to everyone, but nothing predicates that London is the sole place through which this ‘everyone’ passes. London’s days of being the centre of the known world are long gone. The internet has happened, and digital sharing amongst places of learning are normal. So is travel.

In any case, jaw-droppingly accurate digital replicas are now possible. Why on earth should the British Museum have the originals of the Marbles while denying them to Athens? Reverse that insular notion and hey-presto justice is done and excitement beckons as the BM discovers that no-one can possibly tell the difference. Indeed with perfect replicas of all the objects that were sneakily lifted by Elgin the BM might even rise to a corrective by restoring the exquisite patinas that once graced the Parthenon Marbles before they were scrubbed by crude wire brushes into institutionally white supremacist versions. The exquisite replicas can still ’tell their story’ as the authorities always put it. They could even be painted in the colours they once wore if the BM decided to create a block-buster show, or would that be too, too vulgar?

And as to being seen by many people, I must tell you that the BCRPM took a poll of the proportion of the 6 million annual visitors boasted by the BM only to find that only one sixth of them visit Room 18, the Duveen Galleries. That figure is easily matched and surpassed by the Athens Museum so please don’t worry about numbers.

Righting the wrongs of history is a tussle that the Western world is going through in a big way as I write this, and, Tiffany Jenkins, it has to be lived through and responded to else the BM and like-minded finders-keepers mentalities will hold us in thrall to the high-handed days of yore, which are mainly despicable in the light of modern sensibilities. Take a leaf, say I, out of the thinking that prevails in the great Dutch museums where a certain humanity prevails. Other museums feel the same it seems. UNESCO certainly does, as a whole body.

Nothing bad will happen, only good, if arguably the greatest of the national museums were to behave like a mensch and give the blasted Parthenon Marbles back to the Greeks."

Respecfully and sincerely,
Janet Suzman

On the ongoing negotiations to reunite the Parthenon Sculptures, the British Museum told ERTNews that "Discussions with Greece on the Parthenon partnership are ongoing and constructive." 

And continues:

"We believe that this type of long-term partnership will strike the right balance between sharing our greatest objects with audiences around the world and maintaining the integrity of the incredible collection we have in the museum."

At the same day the Economist published an article saying that the Marbles status negotiations could take a big step forward.

"In 2025, the marbles may finally be moved - or at least negotiations over their status may take a big step forward." This is the thesis of the Economist article, which gives a detailed account of the situation and the issue of cultural heritage restitution, as the return of antiquities involving "less prominent objects" puts less pressure on museums. 

The article states that "a deal with Greece would be the culmination of a wave of restitution that has taken place in the shadow of the Marbles". 

"Many arguments against their return have been overturned. The idea that the British Museum is the only competent custodian for the marbles has always seemed slightly spurious, even more so after one of its staff was accused of pilfering almost 2,000 antiquities and selling them on eBay," writes The Economist's culture correspondent. The columnist cites sources from different authors who wrote books on this subject to conclude that a "return is no longer a dirty word".

The facts and the speculation

As the Economist article makes clear, there is nothing concrete other than the acknowledgement that discussions are underway and that the possible reunification of the sculptures faces favourable circumstances. Senior diplomatic sources explicitly told ERT that they "do not confirm" the reports, in which details of the alleged agreement are given.

This is because they do not even know if there will be an agreement in the end let alone what exactly an alleged agreement will contain. 

In particular, another diplomatic source told ERT that "nothing has been agreed unless everything has been agreed". We are watching a diplomatic negotiation of the highest level where the two sides talk behind closed doors for the best outcome they can conclude.

The Parthenon Project campaign, funded by multi-millionaire John Lefas, is 'keeping a low profile', while the long-established British Committee for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM) claims they do not have knowledge of the details of the negotiations. 

What we do know is that the Greek government has been talking to the British Museum and the British government for years, by their own admission. The draft of the agreement though has not been finalised. Everything that is published is a "product of fantasy", according to an ERT diplomatic source.

It could also be a "framework agreement" and the details will be worked out later. 

Greek and British journalists are chasing the story on the occasion of the arrival of the Greek Foreign Minister in London and the rumoured subsequent visit of Prime Minister Mitsotakis to London in early December.

But given the puzzling silence on the negotiations for a possible agreement to reunite the sculptures, from both the British Museum and the Greek side, what remains is what we know: that discussions are continuing, that these may take place at many levels and in many ways, and that it is by no means certain that Kyriakos Mitsotakis who will (possibly) travel to London in early December, will sign an agreement.

The British Museum is in the final stages of awarding a competition for an architectural proposal for the renovation of the museum. From the beginning of the new year, many of the British Museum's Western Rooms will be gradually closed, including the galleries housing the Greek antiquities including the Parthenon Sculptures in Room 18. These sculptures will have to be moved... somewhere. This will certainly increase the chances of the British Museum agreeing to an exchange, but we must not forget that these treasures are in the UK's most important institution, and it is also a matter of national pride for the British as well as the Greeks, and certainly for the museum's board.

The article was written originally in Greek by Evdoxia Lymperi - UK correspondent for ERT (Greek Broadcasting Corp.) it was first published in ertnews.gr

Lord Alf Dubs just after 3 pm, in the House of Lords, made a pertinent and heartfelt plea for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles:

"In the British Museum there are over 108,000 Greek artefacts of which six and half thousand are currently on display but more importantly will he accept that my plea that we should consider returning the Parthenon Marbles is based on the fact that they are a unique piece of art. That they belong together and have a proud history in terms of the Greek historical traditions, surely we should think again."

Sadly also listening to the well rehearsed replies by Lord Parkinson, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport, other lines came to mind:

'tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time'

When will solemn and honest dialogue begin to reunite this peerless collection of sculptures so senselessly divided, mainly between two great museums? Isn't it time to appreciate the efforts made by Greece to showcase these works of art as close as it is physically possible to the building they were a part of for over two and half millennia? Isn't it time to prove that as people of nations that respect and care about cultural heritage, we can do the right thing?

The Parthenon Gallery in the Acropolis Museum is the one place on earth where it is possible to have a single and aesthetic experience simultaneously of the Parthenon and its sculptures. There are no reasons remaining to prevent the UK from entering into dialogue with Greece now about the terms of and conditions under which return might be considered.

09 February 2022, Ta Nea

UK Correspondent for Ta Nea, Yannis Andritsopoulos has published his article, which can be read online at Ta Nea. He notes that yesterday's ten-minute debate in the House of Lord was held at the initiative of the Lord Dubs, who asked the government to reconsider the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. 

'In response, the British Under Secretary of State cited the Johnson-Mitsotakis meeting, in which, he said, the British Prime Minister "underlined the long-standing position of the United Kingdom that this is a matter for the Trustees of the British Museum, who are the rightful owners of the Sculptures". He then reiterated that "the government fully supports the position of the Museum's Trustees ( that the Sculptures should stay in London)", adding that Johnson "made this clear to the Greek prime minister when they met".'

We would add that UNESCO's ICPRCP recognised last September, the intergovernmental nature of the request for the Parthenon Marbles and that Prime Minister Mitsotkis stated this in his discussions with Prime Miniser Johnson in November 2022.

What was equally uplifting in yesterday's discussions was the addition of more voices in the House of Lords. These voices were suggesting that it was time for the UK to give this request the serious deliberation it deserved.

We continue to be reminded that when these sclptures were forcibly removed, Greece had no voice. Today, Greece's voice is loud and clear and the support for the reunification here in the UK, and elsewhere is equally loud and clear. There's no better time than the persent. And the case for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles has been wrapped in immeasurable patience, time for the UK and the British Museum to show the love and respect that we all share for these sculptures.

Angelina Giovani from Flynn & Giovani, Art Provenance Research took to twitter to respond to Emily Sheffield's Evening Standard article. It's a thread that deserves to be conserved. Thank you Angelina.

You can read Angelina Giovani's thread on 'The Provebance Research Blog' which responds to Emily Sheffield's Evening Standard article: "I’m sorry, dear Greeks, but the Elgin Marbles simply must stay here."

BCRPM's Hon President, Professor Anthony Snodgrass, Chair, Janet Suzman and Vice-Chair, Professor Paul Cartledge, plus the members of the committee were deeply saddened by the news of Marianna Vardinoyannis. Thoughts with Marianna's family and the team that worked tirelessly with her at the Foundation.

Marianna made a major bid in 2014 in conjunction with the Melina Mercouri Foundation to ‘relaunch’ the campaign for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles in Greece. It was aptly entitled: Return The Marbles, Restore Parthenon, Restart History. It was a privilege to be there with William St Clair.

BCRPM's presentation highlighted all of the committee's activities for the past 31 years, and included, as Marianna put it ‘so many voices’. 

Subsequent times when BCRPM members would have an opportunity to continue to meet with Marianna included the epic 2019 conference for the reunification, also held at the Acropolis Museum.

In December of 2021, the foundation was again in touch to ask if Tom Flynn would be willing to go to Athens and speak, at the Acropolis Museum, for International Women’s Day in March 2022.

And we reflect on Marianna's article, also on BCRPM's web site, where she quoted George Seferis:

“A little longer
And we shall see the almond trees in blossom
The marbles shining in the sun
The sea, the curling waves
Just a little more
Let us rise just a little higher...”

Chairman of the British Museum, George Osborne announced a new chapter for the British Museum, one that reimagines the museum. A masterplan costing £1 billion, aimed at making the British Museum, "the global museum of common humanity" with more details to be revealed next spring. 

The British Museum is also looking to change the way that it engages with communities whose treasures the museum holds in trust.

In The Times today, George Osborne insisted that the collections would not be permanently broken up, but that “some of our greatest objects” would return to their countries of origin if common ground could be found: “My message is: if you’re ready to find the common ground, then so are we.” The article goes on to highlight that the  "Western sculpture galleries will be transformed, while some of the Greek revival architecture of the building will undergo restoration. George Osborne also promised a programme of rebuilding, and a museum powered by a new energy system to make it “a net zero carbon museum — no longer a destination for climate protest but instead an example of climate solution.”

This follows the unveiling at the Freud Museum on Tuesday of a 3D replica of the chariot horse head, of the goddess Selene. The replica created by the Institute of Digital Archaeology (IDA) was crafted from the same marble that all of the Parthenon sculptures were made. Roger Michel of the IDA hopes that the precision of this replica will sway the BM to support the reunification of the sculptures that have survived, and in so doing, respond to the global community's wishes to view them in the Acropolis Museum.

BCRPM's quote of 2012, continues to hold true today as it did a decade ago: 'the Parthenon Gallery in the Acropolis Museum is the one place on earth where it is possible to have a single and aesthetic experience simultaneously of the Parthenon and its sculptures. It is time for the UK to enter into dialogue with Greece about the terms of, and conditions under, which the return of these sculptures could be facilitated.'

More on the news regarding the refurbishment of the British Museum by Cristina Ruiz in The Art Newspaper from Thursday 03 November and followed on Friday 04 November, by Tessa Solomon in ARTnews.

Chris Price, outstandingly educated among parliamentarians, and at the same time sympathetic and universally liked as a man, has died at the age of 83.   From the moment of the British Committee’s foundation, now over thirty years ago, he was an active member. What made him irreplaceable, both as member and later as Deputy Chair, was his deep understanding of not merely the political, but the constitutional issues that arise in connection with the Parthenon Marbles.

This enabled him to see through, at best obscurity at worst frustration, between the roles, rights and responsibilities of the government, parliament and the Trustees of the British Museum. More than that, he was personally acquainted with and highly respected by a series of ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, most of them first elected to Parliament after his own time.   Privately, at least, some of them were ready to acknowledge that, in the endless efforts to hold the ‘official line’, the voice of the British public was effectively being drowned.

His other great contribution, in later years, was in promoting the idea of ‘cultural mobility’, of free discussion, between cultural institutions, of the cases where cooperation and the acknowledgment of interdependence could take the place of stone-walling, non-communication and downright triumphalism.

After his first heart attack on New Year’s Day 2010, things were never quite the same again but, thanks in no small degree to his wife Annie’s untiring care, he rallied and participated actively for at least another couple of years. We too shall miss him sorely.

Anthony Snodgrass, Chair, British Committee, 2002-2010

Anthony Snodgrass, Eleni Cubitt and Chris Price in Athens June 2009 for the opening of the Acropolis Museum

Chris Price's contribution to the campaign for the reunification of the Parthenon marbles was distinguished. It was also distinctive.  His commitment was grounded in a rare combination of attributes.

Many classical scholars trace their first engagement with the issue from their education.  Many were fired by early student experience in Greece.  Many have been motivated by moral and cultural considerations.  Many have had the gift of eloquent and persuasive argument by pen or tongue.  Many have devoted long years to the cause.  All this can be said of Chris.  But he was also a politician, not tribal - that was perhaps a drawback - but deeply committed and able in the "art of the possible".  He was one of that cohort of able Labour MPs who lost the opportunity of a distinguished career in government, quite likely with ministerial responsibility, during the Labour Party's long, lost years after 1979. He did however have the opportunity to show what might have been when appointed to Chair the Select Committee on Education,  Science and the Arts, as it was then called. What if he had had the opportunity to serve as Secretary of State with that portfolio?  Might we have seen a response to the issue of the marbles based not only good political sense but also on deep understanding and empathy?  We'll never know, but we certainly lost the opportunity to find out when Chris went into opposition and then lost his seat.  Nevertheless we do have much for which to thank him, we mourn his passing and we offer condolences to Annie and their whole family.

Eddie O'Hara, Chairman

Chris Price with Professor Pandermalis, Acropolis Museum 2009

Christopher Price's struggle for the restitution of the Parthenon Marbles was invaluable and will be missed. We offer our condolences to his family at this sad time.

The Board of Directors of the Melina Mercouri Foundation

"Chris Price was for many a years a champion of the cause to have the Parthenon Sculptures returned from Britain to Greece. He was a brilliant and passionate man and enriched the lives of all of us who were lucky enough to have known him." David Hill, Chairman, International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures.

The American Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures extended their deepest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Chris Price.

Michael Reppas wrote:

"Chris was a positive force in the campaign and his dedication toward the cause should always be remembered. It was an honor to have worked with him and we are all saddened by his loss."

Chris Price with Michael Reppas, President of ACRPS

Obituaries in UK newspapers:

The Guardian

The Telegraph

The Independent

Christopher Price on the sculptures from the Parthenon:

"The only thing British about them is the fact that one of our ambassadors filched them."
 

Eleni Cubitt, Chris Price and Anthony Snodgrass, Ambassadors of Hellenism

The Marbles Campaign: Where do we go from here?

Christopher Price, 31 May, 2010

Over the past two or three decades, the campaign to re-unite the Parthenon Sculptures in Athens has received global publicity.  It is now important, however, for us to consider how to put the issue in a wider international “cultural mobility” context.

“Cultural mobility” is become a common phase among those who want to see an atmosphere of cooperation supplant arguments in the past. A recent conference in Ohio put it like this: Globalization is now one of the most common terms to describe how we interact with other countries in the 21st century. Perhaps a better term is “interdependence.” Interdependence helps us understand how we can have shared opportunities to participate and enjoy a genuine sense of belonging. Collaboration and cooperation are becoming the approaches of choice, replacing the pursuit of short-term exchange.   In this context, it is only a period of genuine cooperation between all sorts of institutions – governments, museums and international bodies – that will be able to find solutions.

A wider, even worldwide, discussion about the appropriate location of cultural objects might help begin a genuine bipartite discussion between the UK and Greece about the integrity of classical sculptures currently in the British Museum.

It follows that another priority for campaigning organisations and the UK parliament is to make sure that the respective powers and influence of the Trustees of the British Museum, the British government and the British Parliament are balanced in such a way that there can be a public discussion about how to take this issue forward. The British Museum was established by the British Parliament and notby the British Government; the Trustees hold their office in trust for the people of Britain but yet have made little effort to explain to the people the current position and arguments over the location of the marbles. The Government and Parliament have a similar duty. This is particularly important at a time when the Trustees will soon be seeking a new Director for the Museum. The current director, Neil MacGregor, is a superb communicator. If the Marbles issue is to be solved, his successor will need to be a superb negotiator.

Both the marketing of cultural relics and arguments about their ‘ownership’ are as old as the hills. We now need a new regime of discussions – open to all citizens of the world – which can take the place of insoluble haggling over history, location, ownership and legal status. This will require not so much recourse to national and international courts of law; instead we need a global environment of museums and nations cooperating with one another in which the mobility of cultural objects and agreements about their location and preservation can be discussed without pre-conditions.

Today, in Ta Nea, a double page spread written by Greek Minister of Culture, Dr Lina Mendoni. The topic the reunification of the sculptures from the Parthenon, still harshly divided mainly between two great museums of the world: the Acropolis Musem in Athens and the British Museum in London. The latter founded in 1753, opened its doors in 1759.

Dr Mendoni picks up on the current crisis at the British Museum, reminding readers that amongst the argument used by the British Museum, the safety of the Parthenon Marbles remains.The claim is that the sculpures "are safer in London than in Athens", and indeed to raid Room 18 would be difficult. But safety as Dr Mendoni explains, is one that covers many aspects, and her article takes readers through the issues that arose from the moment that Lord Elgin decided to forcibly remove entire sections of the frieze, the metpes and pedimental figures from the Parthenon.

 The ship “Mentor”, carrying 17 boxes of Sculptures, sank off the island of Kythira in September 1802. The retrieval of these Sculptures was completed two years later. But in some of them, already, the damage from erosion was irreversible. When the Sculptures arrived in England, Elgin stored them in damp and unsuitable sites. Finally, the Lord – acting as a looter – sold the Sculptures to the British Government, which entrusted them to the care of the British Museum, which, knowingly, accepted the products of the theft. The British Museum ignored the huge scandal that had broken out in British and international public opinion, the direct accusations and the strong protests of prominent personalities of the time throughout Europe. This is the position to which it adheres to this day.

From 1816 and for about a century, not only were the Sculptures exposed to the extreme air pollution of the British capital, but also they were exhibited in a room heated by coal-burning chimneyless heaters. This resulted in the blackening and corrosion of their surface. The Sculptures were cleaned and washed in a thoroughly improper way twice after moulds had been taken from them, in 1817 and 1837, and several more times up until the 1930s.

Dr Mendoni's careful analysis of the damage caused, not least the controversial cleaning of the Marbles, not once but on several occassions urges the reader to reflect about the British Museum's care of these peerless sculptures.

 In the 1930s, Lord Duveen employed agents, secretly, who used copper brushes and caustic materials to remove the ancient patina, as has been documented by William St. Clair in two of his books. However, "the scraping of the patina sometimes resulted, as one could expect, in the removal of the surface of the marble itself, especially in the most sensitive areas in terms of preservation. This fact is also attested by the examination of samples taken from the patina. Consequently, the anomaly that the scraping created on the surface of the marble had to be smoothed out according to the abovementioned aesthetic specifications. To ensure uniformity, this smoothing was also extended to surfaces that were free of patina. The project of smoothing the surfaces on the background of the high-reliefs and on the sculpted figures themselves increased the damage to the surfaces….”. This led to a considerable - and in certain cases excessive - loss of material. “Some of the metopes represent glaring examples of this intervention. Thus, for instance, the reduced, because of grinding, surface of both the background and the figures of the high-relief is not only macroscopically visible but also, in certain cases, measurable”, according to the preliminary report by the team of Greek experts, who examined the Sculptures in 1999, after negotiations between the Greek Ministry of Culture and the British Museum. Their “skin” was destroyed.

Some of us have been in Room 18 when rain water came in through the leaking glass roof. Others have protested in that room, and more so post the opening of the Acropolis Museum. Visitors in the winter months of December, January and February,  saw huge blow heaters trying to provide heat.Then in summer months, large fans, and the Fire Exit door open to provide ventilation to an otherwise stuffy room. There are no climate controls in the galleries of this ancient museum that houses so many amazing treasures from countries right across the globe.

But what is devastating in Dr Mendoni's writing, is this paragraph, the words are those of Neil MacGregor, the previous Director of the British Museum. Often describes as the British Museum's charismtic Director, he too failed the sculptures.

British Museum Director, Neil MacGregor, commented that: “When you put sculpture on public show you expose it to damage. Every museum in the world that has sculpture on public show has a record of regular damage. Graffiti, scratching, bumping whatever. You simply cannot put sculpture on show at a level where people can see it to study it without accepting the risk. It's the price you pay for making it available”.

Dr Mendoni, concludes her article with this:

The perpetual abuse and damage to the Parthenon Marbles at the British Museum are long-standing and ongoing. The recent spate of thefts apparently by the responsible curators, coupled with the silence of their heads, who neither take care to protect the collections nor ensure the appropriate security measures, prove that the “hospitality” provided to the masterpieces of Pheidias at the British Museum has always been inadequate, incomplete and problematic. The “safe-keeping” of the Sculptures at the British Museum is proving disastrous and dangerous. The urgent need for their reunification in Athens is now an act of Justice.ack in London,the British Museum's current crisis continues, and we sincerely hope that the right way forward is found. That the truth leads to better solutions for this very British institution, its workforce and visitors. 

In considering Dr Mendoni's words, a whole world acknowledges that the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles would be an act of justice for this specific collection of cultural heritage so harshly removed when Greece had no voice.

To read the English translation kindly provided by the Greek Ministry for Culture and Sport, follow the link here.

We were also reminded of those words used by Christopher Hitchens: "And one day, surely, there will be an agreement to do the right thing by the world’s most “right” structure." May that day be as soon as possible, and because the Parthenon still stands.   

The Greek daily newspaper,Ta Nea featured an interview by Yannis Andritsopoulos with Former Shadow Culture Secretary Thangam Debbonaire in their Saturday edition. In the interview, Thangam Debbonaire refers to the 'theft' of the Parthenon Marbles and that the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, now UK's PM, is keen to see a solution to this long running impasse.

Thangam Debbonaire views the Acropolis Museum as the right place to display the surviving sculptures and is looking forward to visiting Athens this weekend as she is will be speaking on Monday at an event organised by the Parthenon Project.

Thangam Debbonaire reiterates in the interview that it is the Labour governments continued position to see the British Museum find a solution that is acceptable to both Greece and UK's cultural institution.

Thangam Debbonaire also used the same analogy that PM Mitotakis used during his Novembervisit to the UK last year, where reference was made to the Mona Lisa and what we would all say if we had to view her in two halves. She also feels that most UK parliamentarians would wish to see a solution as the request for reunification has raged on for so long and is encouraged by Nicholas Cullinan's views for the future of the British Museum.

The Parthenon Project campaign includes the transformation of the Duveen Gallery at the British Museum into a gallery that would be renamed the “Prince Philip Hellenic Gallery” to display never-before-seen Greek artefacts, a proposal that excites Thangam Debbonaire, and we remind ourselves that it is 24 years since the first Greek minister, voiced the will of Greece to offer the British Museum artefacts from Greece not seen outside of Greece (should the sculptures in London be reunited with those in Athens).

More on this story also in Daily Mail & MSN.

Plus in The Times on Monday 30 September 2024, Oliver Wright adds: 'government sources played down the prospect of an early solution, saying that Debbonaire was not speaking on behalf of ministers'.

“We have no plans to change the law that would permit a permanent move of the Parthenon sculptures,” said a spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Looks as though the campaigns, yes there are more than one (!), continue, apace.

22 August 2019 during a State visit to France, Greece's Prime Minister Mitsotakis asked President Macron for the loan from the Louvre of a metope.This request was made for Greece's bicentennial independence celebrations in 2021. The Louvre would, in return, receive a collection of bronze artefacts from Greece. 

Paul Cartledge, professor of Greek Culture at the University of Cambridge and the vice chairman of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles and the IARPS (International Association) commented to The Art Newspaper: " We hope for and expect much more: the reunification in the Acropolis Museum of all bits of the Parthenon held in museums outside Greece—not only [the sculptures] from the British Museum. The Greek government will certainly reciprocate most handsomely with spectacular loans, such as those going to the Louvre no doubt will be.”

To read The Art Newspaper article, please follow the link here.

On 22 March, Alexander Herman wrote an article also in The Art Newspaper explaining the difficulties that surround recognition and admission of title. If the British Museum were ever to consider a long-term loan of the pieces, Greece would need to first accept that the trustees hold title, an acceptance successive Greek governments have never been willing to make.

"But title need not be so contentious. Perhaps the Greek government could accept the simple premise that the trustees hold title under English law, but go no further? This would not have to relate to the circumstances of acquisition in Athens. It need only be a recognition that a run-of-the-mill Act of Parliament settled the question of English title back in 1816. Likewise, the British Museum would need to understand that title is a nationally derived right and does not automatically guarantee rights at an international level. This could perhaps allow the parties to put the question of title aside" writes Alexander Herman.

While a loan might not result in Greece's long awaited permanent restitution, it would bring some pieces back to the Acropolis Museum, where they would be seen by millions in their original context with views to the Parthenon, which still stands. Marking a memorable event and breaking of the deadlock by starting a dialogue between London and Athens.

Read more on this article here.

31 August & 01 September Helena Smith reported in the Guardian and Observer that Prime Minister Mitsotakis would be looking for a loan from the British Museum to coincide with Greece's bicentennial independence celebrations in 2021.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis explained that “given the significance of 2021, I will propose to Boris: ‘As a first move, loan me the sculptures for a certain period of time and I will send you very important artefacts that have never left Greece to be exhibited in the British Museum’.”

Adding: “Of course our demand for the return of the sculptures remains in place. I don’t think [Britain] should be fighting a losing battle. Eventually this is going to be a losing battle. At the end of the day there is going to be mounting pressure on this issue.”

There are 21,000 known archaeological sites in Greece,” said the culture minister, Lina Mendoni, a classical archaeologist. “We have 10 times more than we can possibly exhibit. Almost every day something valuable is found. We want to export these cultural assets.”

Read the updated Guardian (04 September 2019) article here.

Reaching an agreement for the permanent return of the Parthenon Sculptures from the British Museum to Greece  “is difficult, but not impossible,” said Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni in Parliament on Monday, 23 January 2023. Dr Mendoni reiterated the government’s stance that this specific cultural request “remains national, unanimous, consistent and clear.”

Greece does not recognize the British Museum's claim of ownership with regards to the Parthenon Scultptures currently exibited in Room 18, as they comprise a product of theft. Dr Mendoni added that “the government has been working from the start systematically, responsibly, and effectively to achieve the national goal – the return and reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures to the Acropolis Museum in Athens.”

ANA-MPA news

On August 2016, H E Ambassador Dimitris Caramitsos-Tziras came to London to start his term as Ambassador of Greece in the UK. In these three years that he has lived and worked in the UK, he has witnessed a sea change, from the outcome of the UK's Referendum and the on going Brext negotiations, to the election of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, plus the ongoing plight of the Parthenon Marbles, sadly still divided bettween Athens and London.

Yannis Andritsopoulos, UK correspondendant for Ta Nea, interviewed Ambassdor Dimitris Caramitsos-Tziras and the article can be read in Greek online here: https://www.tanea.gr/print/2020/09/26/world/brexit-mia-tainiacrdixos-xapi-ent/.

Taking up his post in London in the summer of 2016,  Ambassador Dimitris Caramitsos-Tziras experienced Britain's post Brexit Referendum division. This was followed by a myriad of consultations and challenges. Now as he prepares to return to Athens, the final outcome is still uncertain. "The British people were divided and the civil service unprepared. The lack of a plan was obvious. The further the negotiation progressed, the more the goal posts were moved. It was more of a process of internal political controversy. This is a disappointment for a country so big and powerful." Commented Ambassador Caramitsos-Tziras in Ta Nea.

"Recently, the no deal debate has reignited... I have always believed that this was part of the negotiating tactic and not a substantive intention. Personally, I believe that neither side wants a no deal, nor does it want to bear the burden of a deadlocked negotiation that would have economic, political and social implications for both. Clearly, though, the possibility of no deal has not gone off the table."

And on Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Ambassador acknowledges that Johnson is 'a product of the British educational establishment' and yet has "elements of modernity in his politics - a policy not always of principles and beliefs, but of realism, sometimes cynical. As a personality, he's very interesting. I've met him a few times. He always felt the need to show or demonstrate his ability to speak the Greek language. We covered the classical poets to the irregular verbs in Ancient Greek, which he  test my knowledge!" Adds the Ambassador.

And on the matter of the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, Yannis asked the Ambassador: "Do you think the British will return them?"

The Ambassador's reply sums up the current position:"Thanks to Greece's efforts, the pressing issue remains in the public debate. There is hope that some British leaders will see it differently. I believe that Britain is missing the opportunity to be at the forefront of international developments, at a time when everyone is talking about the return of certain cultural treasures. Prime Minister Johnson has the opportunity to make a magnanimous gesture that would be a reflection of the true spirit of these times."

H E Ambassador Dimitris Caramitsos-Tziras concludes his term of office in the UK on 30 September 2020

On our part, Chair Janet Suzman and Vice-Chair Professor Paul Cartledge plus the 13 members of our Committee (BCRPM), wish to thank the Ambassdor for his help and support over these past three years. Most memorable was the Ambassador's letter to Dr Hatwig Fischer, Director of the British Museum on 26 April 2018. The  Ambassador poliely turned down the opportunity to attend the opening of the 'Rodin and the Art of Ancient Greece' exhibition. You can read the letter heretoo. For BCRPM's press release on the Rodin exhibition, kindly follow the link or read more on articles written at that time, check out https://www.parthenonuk.com/latest-news/41-2018-news/393-rodin-bm-exhibition-not-a-justification-for-keeping-them-in-london and https://www.parthenonuk.com/component/content/article/26-articles-and-research/400-the-rodin-exhibition-at-the-british-museum-is-now-open?Itemid=101

 15 January 2022,The Times

Letters Page

Michael Wood, BCRPM's newest member, also had a letter published in the Times today: 

07 December 2021

Thanos Davelis, Director of Public Affairs for the Hellenic American Leadership Council, talks to Janet Suzman, the chair of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, on 'The Greek Current' to discuss Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ recent visit to the UK and the momentum it has given to the campaign for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.

Listen to the podcast here 

THE GREEK CURRENT PODCAST EPISODE NOTES
Is there a new momentum for the return of Parthenon Marbles to Greece? That’s what Janet Suzman, the chair of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, argued in her latest op-ed for Kathimerini. Janet's article came after Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the United Kingdom, where he raised the issue of the Parthenon Marbles in his meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Despite Johnson’s refusal, Greece has vowed to use “every means” in its quest to persuade London to relinquish the Parthenon sculptures, with a campaign that will focus on winning over the hearts and minds of Britons. Janet Suzman joins Thanos Davelis on 'The Greek Current' podcast to talk about Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ visit to the UK and the momentum it has given the campaign for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles.

Read Janet Suzman’s op-ed in Kathimerini here: New momentum for return of Parthenon Marbles.

The return of the British Museum's Parthenon Marbles to Greece, according to Reuters' report on Sunday, may be possible 'even if the two sides cannot come to an agreement over who owns the sculptures'.

Greece's request for the return of the sculptures began shortly after independence. The more recent request was made by the then Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri in 1983, when the Greek government formally asked the UK government to return the marbles to Greece and, in 1984, listed the dispute with UNESCO. The Greek government has always only requesed the return of the sculptures that Lord Elgin removed from the Parthenon at the start of the 19th century.

The Pope last year announced that he would donate three fragmented pieces from the Vatican Museums to Greece. The signing of the agreement took place in Rome on  Tuesday 07 March 2023.

Talks bewtween Greece and the British Museum have been going on since late 2021, and were disclosed when Prime Minister Mitsotakis came to London in November of 2022 to address the LSE.

The British Museum's Parthenon collection could be returned to Greece under a long-term cultural partnership agreement, Reuters reported on Sunday 12 March.

The plans, which have been discussed with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and British Museum's Chair George Osborne, would see a rotation of Greek masterpieces offered to the British Museum, including some that have never been seen outside Greece*.(This was offered by Greece for the first time in 2000, 23 years ago!).

Such an arrangement could avoid the requirement for a change in the law to allow the British Museum to dispose of its artefacts, the same point raised in 2000 also.  And yet,  George Osborne has played down the prospect of a permanent return of the marbles, instead suggested an arrangement where the marbles can be shared by both museums and seen in London and Athens.

This story is set to run for a little longer.

Read the aricle by Liam Kelly, Arts Correspondent for the Sunday Times, and for those that read in Greek in Ta Nea, although there are paywalls.

PARTHENON – TEMPLE AND SYMBOL

A seminar at Medelhavsmuseet (the Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities) in Stockholm, on Wednesday, 13 September 2023 at 5:30 - 8:00 p.m

• The Parthenon as a symbol - from the Persian and Peloponnesian wars and into our time

Professor Paul Cartledge (University of Cambridge), historian and author of a large number of books on antiquity, also Vice-Chair of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM)

• The poet Constantine Cavafy in 1891: "Give back the Elgin Marbles!"

Christina von Arbin, architect and Vice-Chair of the Swedish Parthenon Committee

• The question of reunification - more relevant than ever

Ingemar Lindahl, Ambassador and Chairman of the Swedish Parthenon Committee

• The activities of the British and the International Parthenon Committees

Professor Paul Cartledge, Vice-Chair of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM)

• The Swedish Parthenon Committee 20 years

Christina von Arbin, Vice-Chair of the Swedish Parthenon Committee

• Poetry reading

Kristina Adolphson, actor

This seminar has been arranged in collaboration between the Swedish Parthenon Committee and Medelhavsmuseet, the Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, Sweden.

Paul Scully, Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for London, was interviewed by Yannis Andritsopoulos, UK Correspondent for Ta Nea, and calls for dialogue to begin on the continued division of the Parthenon Sculptures.

The UK Minister called for a "mature discussion" on the matter.

This is the first time that a member of the Conservative Government has called for dialogue to be initiated in order to find a solution to an issue that has been pending since 1816,  and since the time when British Parliament bought the ancient Greek artifacts from Lord Elgin, who had previously removed them from the Parthenon.

To this day, the UK Government claims that "the Parthenon Sculptures were legally acquired and belong to the British Museum", while it recently "refuted" UNESCO's ICPRCP decision for intergovernmental dialogue on the issue.

"Recently I was lucky enough to see the Parthenon Sculptures up close. It was a real privilege. I fully understand the issue that has arisen," commented Paul Scully .

Clarifying that, from his portfolio, "I am not in the right department to take decisions on this issue", he stressed: "I hope that we will be able to ensure that there will be a mature discussion on the Sculptures". He added: "This is a discussion that the Foreign Minister should have with her Greek counterpart."

The 54-year-old Minister (holds an autonomous portfolio that does not come under another ministry) noted that "the Parthenon Sculptures, wherever they are, exist for the whole world", implying that he would hardly support their permanent return to Greece. "I hope that we will all be able to learn the history, heritage and the past of these sculptures", he added.

Yannis Andritsopoulos asked him what kind of solution could emerge from the dialogue he proposes to take place between Greece and Britain, and MP Scully replied: "We do not want this issue to be the subject of a division between the two countries. The wonderful Parthenon Sculptures are amazing in terms of their history and everything they represent", he tells me, praising the culture and history of Ancient Greece.

"I'll tell you something: I've been guiding people around the British Parliament all the time. When I tour Americans and talk to them about Westminster Hall, which is almost 1,000 years old, they are in awe. When I say this to Greek visitors, they just shrugg their shoulders. You see, it's not that ancient  whencompared to the ancients of Greece."

He then addresses the Greek Cypriot community in Britain: "Greeks and Cypriots contribute so much to our economy and society. They are highly educated and always hard workinf. They are welcome in London and across the country."

ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE. Referring to the Cyprus problem, the British minister called on Ankara to do more in order to find a solution.

"I urge Turkey to find a constructive approach and a way forward for the negotiations for the settlement of the Cyprus' division. It definitely has to do this. Quite simply, we cannot continue with the stagnation that has been observed for so many decades, which is causing tensions between the two countries," Paul Scully stressed.

He added: "We absolutely must end the partition. We have to listen, to learn, to understand what is happening in Cyprus. The Foreign Ministry has been supporting the efforts from the very beginning. But members can also be active. It is important that they learn the story and then share it with their colleagues in parliament. Their experience can contribute to decision-making and pressure from Britain. We must work together with Turkey and Greece in order to find a solution that leads to a meaningful reunification."

To read the article in Ta Nea, follow the link here .

BCRPM also notes the breakthrough decision negotiated by the Greek team, after the initiatve of the representative of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This decision adopted by UNESCO's ICPRCPis an excellent example of the preparation invested by Greece in the continued efforts to find a solutuon to the unecessary division of the Parthenon sculptures. Just two weeks ago a celebration of the 13th anniversary of the Acropolis Museumwas organised by BCRPM and Greeks in the UK, at the British Museum. Victoria Hislop, Professor Edith Hall, George Gabriel and Marlen Godwin, members of BCRPM joined Avgoustinos Galiassos  and supporters to ask that the Parthenon Marbles be reunited in Athens.

But is the lady for turning? Some believe that PM Truss will change her mind on the question of the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. Amongst those looking to convince UK's new Prime Minister, is Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Just last month at the UN General Assembly in his address, PM Mitsotakis also spoke of the reunification of the sculptures. This was also amplified at The Spectator Conservative Party Conference fringe event on Tuesday 04 October:

The Elgin Marbles or The Parthenon Sculptures: what is the solution? 

How can we justify keeping the Elgin marbles in the British Museum?  The Spectator’s James Forsyth and special guests discussed how to bring an end to the Parthenon Sculptures dispute.

Speakers: Lord Vaizey, Former Culture Minister; Sarah Baxter, columnist, Sunday Times; Lord Parkinson, former Minister for Arts; Madeline Grant, parliamentary sketchwriter for the Daily Telegraph.

Ed Vaizey said: "The Parthenon sculptures belong to the Parthenon" ,( and he added) that the Acropolis Museum in Athens is a world-class museum.

We concurr about the Acropolis Museum, as it is here in the top floor, glassed walled Parthenon Gallery that the Parthenon Marbles not removed, are displayed the right way round and with direct views to the Parthenon. When Lord Elgin decided to remove half of the sculptures, they were destined to decorate his ancestral home, a fire sale resulted in their current location, the British Museum. Greece has been requesting their return since post independence.

Sarah Baxter and Ed Vaizey supporting the reunification at the event in Birmingham, won the room, according to James Forsyth. To read James Forsyth's article in The Spectator, follow the link here.

Sarah also tweeted:

as did Dino Sofos, Founder CEO,Persephonica & Executive Producer of The News Agents podcast

Prime Minister Liz Truss' rejection of the possible reunification of the Parthenon Marbles was covered in ARTnews by Tessa Solomon:

"As museums across Europe and the United States reckon with the looted artifacts in their collections, the British Museum has been forced to confront the controversies in their holdings.

In June, an advocacy group called the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles organized a protest at the British Museum, marking the 13th anniversary of the inauguration of the Acropolis Museum in Athens. The museum was purpose-built to display the marbles and other treasures of Greek antiquity.

Perhaps in response to the sustained outcry, the British Museum has signaled a softening of its stance towards the issue."

We certainly hope that there is a duty of care for these divided sculptures, which supports their reunification in the Acropolis Museum, and for all the right reasons.

Q:WHY, AS BRITISH CAMPAIGNERS, ARE YOU FOR THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON MARBLES TO GREECE?

A:The issue of the reunification of these sculptures is a a matter of universal concern. We as British campaigners have a particular responsibility in this as it is a British museum, which holds half of the surviving sculptures from the Parthenon.

We also have a particular responsibility to convince the British press, public and politicians of the need to reunify them with their counterparts in Athens.

We have had much success in persuading the British public, as indicated by numerous opinion polls, and also professional opinion, as demonstrated by a 2012 poll in the Museums Journal showing a majority of 73% in favour of reunification, but less so with politicians and the cultural establishment.

Much of our campaigning is focused on informing and educating a critical mass of the general public which could not be ignored by elected politicians and the cultural establishment.

Q: IS THE MODERN GREEK STATE THE LEGITIMATE OWNER OF THE PARTHENON MARBLES.

A:Legal title to the ownership of these sculptures is extremely difficult to establish conclusively.

It is well documented that The British Government purchased the sculptures legally from Lord Elgin.

However Lord Elgin acquired the sculptures in questionable circumstances, the evidence for which is difficult to determine in full detail. There is much evidence that he exceeded what he had been given authority to remove by the Ottoman authorities.

The Ottoman state could be argued to have had legal title at the time of Elgin's acquisition; but the modern Turkish state is a different entity.

The Greek national state did not exist at the time of Elgin's acquisition of the sculptures and had never existed before that.

The only entity that could be argued to have had undisputed legal title was the demos of ancient Athens, but that did not survive antiquity.

Then there have to be taken into account differences of property ownership across time and countries, including the British Museum Act 1963.

But anyway, this should be seen not as a legal but essentially as a cultural issue. The sculptures belong to the Parthenon.

Q: IS THE BRITISH MUSEUM'S REFUSAL TO RETURN THE MARBLES LEGITIMATE.

A: Over the years the British Museum has advanced a number of arguments which have been described as "historical curiosities discredited variously as inconsequential, disingenuous, debatable, statistically dubious or just plain wrong" (Eddie O'Hara, Museums Journal, 112/06, 01/06/2012).

The one that continues to have specious public resonance is the "floodgates" argument - that to concede to the demand for the return of these sculptures would set a precedent leading to a flood of similar requests which would, if conceded, denude the galleries of the great museums.

This argument is incidentally close to an admission that much of the cultural property in the great museums is of questionable provenance. It is also overstated. The great museums have on permanent display a mere fraction, perhaps 20%, of the property in their collections. Also, not every demand would be of equal merit and each would be considered on its merits.

But anyway, the "floodgates" argument does not apply to the Parthenon Marbles. They are probably uniques in being integral elements of a fixed monument which is a UNESCO world heritage site, sawn off and divided for display, mainly in museums 2,000 miles apart. Thus their reunification would set no precedent.

The British Museum has recently rested its case on its status as a "universal" museum which transcends national cultural boundaries and presents the sculptures in a global context, unlike the "parochial" Acropolis Museum.

The status of "universal" museum is self serving and self designated by the Bizot Group of major museums. It is by no means universally accepted. There is evidence that most visitors do not seek or make the claimed cultural crossconnections. Rather they treat the collections as a smorgasbord of disparate delicacies.

Thus in essence the Parthenon Marbles are at best exemplars in the British Museum's collection and at worst trophies. Whichever way, their presence is essentially elective.

The Acropolis Museum makes no pretensions to being " universal" museum. It is focused on providing a comprehensive and holistic narrative of the Acropolis and is associated monuments. The role of the Parthenon Marbles in this narrative is not elective but integral and essential. This arguably gives the Acropolis Museum greater entitlement than the British Museum to the inclusion of the Parthenon Marbles in its display.

Q: COULD GREECE USE ANY LEGAL MEANS IN THE INTERNATIONAL/EUROPEAN LAW SYSTEM....... TO RECLAIM THE PARTHENON MARBLES.

A: Greece is currently pursuing the matter through the UNESCO mediation process. An approach has been made to the British Government which has said it will respond in due course. However the issue has been on the agenda of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Promotion of the return of Cultural Property since 1987.

Also the Swiss Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculpturesis currently pursuing a number of initiatives through the processes of the European Union.

However it is notoriously difficult to secure a judgement from an international organisation such as these against one of its members.

Q: IS THE MARBLES ISSUE A CULTURAL PROBLEM OR ONE OF MODERN NATIONALISM?

A:It is certainly a matter of visceral concern to the Greek people.

This is sometimes misrepresented and criticised as nationalism, a political concept of dubious pedigree.

In fact it is rather a matter of ethnicity: the Greek state and people regard the Parthenon as an iconic symbol of their ethnic identity. This is a cultural concept.

According to the Faro Convention (2005) an identified cultural group have a human right to the enjoyment of their cultural heritage.

The Right Honourable Robert Jenrick published his thoughts in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday 07 April. You can also read the entire article on MP Jenrick's website.

The article, 'Our Museums have fallen into the hands of a careless generation', caused concern amongst all generations represented in today's electorate of the UK. It would seem that Robert Jenrick did not appreciate the British Museum talking to another nation about artefacts from countries of origin in the museum's collection. 

"As was revealed last week the museum is in talks with four foreign governments to part with its collections.

The published minutes of the board tell us less about their plans than parish council minutes would of changes to verge cutting. We do know, however, that it is negotiating the long term loan of its most celebrated objects, the Elgin Marbles." Writes Robert Jenricks

“Long term loan” is a legal fiction constructed to circumvent the museum’s statutory duty to maintain its collection. There is surely no realistic prospect of the marbles returning from Greece should they ever be sent there. Parliament, like the nation, is being treated like a fool." He concludes going on to suggest that UK's curators are happy to denude museum, that the 'slippery slope' and 'floodgates' is 'corrosive post-colonial guilt wracking the progressive Left.'

Janet Suzman, BCRPM's Chair responded: 

Robert Jenrick's petulant essay on his website about the Parthenon Marbles - one might dub them the star steal - is typically high Tory; feigning ignorance of the full story of the steal. Their continuing presence in Bloomsbury is lumped with Jenrick's 'finders keepers' philosophy about all the other objects in the BM which were questionably obtained by a once powerful empire. His nationalism is depressing since these Marbles have a unique history, but with any luck a more generous solution might be achieved by more thoughtful actors.  

And many took to Twitter including BCRPM member Stuart O'Hara.

You can read all of Stuart's thread, here. 

Mark Stephens added his response too: