The Elgin Marbles were removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin and shipped to England in the early 1800s.

The Elgin Marbles were sold to the British government with Ottoman approval.

The British Museum argues that the Parthenon Marbles should not be returned to Greece due to a lack of a suitable display location.

The Acropolis Museum in Athens is among the world's top ten museums and is well-suited to display the Parthenon Marbles.

The Parthenon Marbles' return has been on the Unesco ICPRCP's agenda for decades.

The 1982 Unesco World Conference ruled in favour of returning the Parthenon Marbles, citing restitution as a fundamental principle of cultural relations.

The British Museum's record keeping and security have raised questions about its care for the Parthenon Marbles.

The British Museum has experienced water leakage and damage, including in the Parthenon gallery.

The British Museum is seeking to repatriate the Parthenon Marbles to Athens.

Most British people support returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.

The Parthenon Marbles are a cornerstone of Greek heritage.

The Acropolis Museum will display most of the Parthenon Marbles when they return.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis is trying to broker a deal for the return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece.

The Parthenon marbles, or Elgin marbles, were removed from the Acropolis over 200 years ago by Lord Elgin.

Greece accuses Britain of stealing 2,500-year-old sculptures.

Mitsotakis has offered to loan Greek treasures to the British Museum in exchange for the return of the Parthenon marbles.

The British government, led by Boris Johnson, has ruled out returning the marbles, citing they were acquired legally.

The Parthenon marbles are mostly displayed in London museums.

Greece has long sought reunification of the sculptures for better understanding in the context of the Acropolis.

The Parthenon marbles are at the center of a famous cultural dispute.

Mitsotakis plans to raise the issue with Johnson during their meeting.

The British Museum's trustees have owned the Parthenon marbles since their acquisition.

The Elgin Marbles have been Greek for over two thousand years.

Lord Elgin took the Elgin Marbles in the early 1800s.

The Elgin Marbles are believed to belong in Greece.

The British Museum Act 1963 prohibits the return of the Elgin Marbles to Greece.

Offers to lend the Elgin Marbles to Greece are seen as insulting.

Museums fear that returning the Elgin Marbles could set a precedent for returning other similarly acquired items.

Acquiring items during times of different attitudes is often considered theft.

The Elgin Marbles are 2,500-year-old sculptures removed from Athens' Parthenon temple by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century.

The sculptures' removal sparked a long-running debate between Greece and the UK over their return.

The British Museum is committed to keeping the sculptures, but is open to a loan or cultural exchange with Greece.

Greece has repeatedly requested the return of the sculptures, a key part of its cultural heritage.

The UK government has no plans to change the law prohibiting the British Museum from disposing of its collection, except in limited circumstances.

George Osborne, head of the British Museum, is believed to have made a deal with Greece that may include returning the Elgin Marbles.

Sir Keir Starmer will not block a loan deal between the British Museum and Greece, but is unlikely to change the law.

The Greek government has proposed a cultural exchange or loan of other treasures in exchange for the Elgin Marbles.

The British Museum wants to forge a new.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has demanded the British Museum return the Parthenon statues, or Elgin Marbles.

Rishi Sunak cancelled a meeting with Mitsotakis after Mitsotakis discussed the return of the statues with the BBC.

The British government and Mitsotakis disagree over whether he broke a promise about discussing the statue's return.

Greece has sought the UK's help in returning the statues since 1983.

UNESCO intervened in 2022, but no agreement was reached.

The British Museum Act 1963 prohibits the return of collections to their homeland.

The Greek government wants the British Museum to return the Parthenon carvings in exchange for lending artifacts.

The British Museum will borrow Parthenon carvings and exhibits from Greece for a short period.

The return of the statues could damage Britain's reputation in Europe.

The Sunak-Mitsotakis meeting cancellation has sparked criticism from Greek politicians and on social media.

Britain and Greece are in a dispute over the Elgin Marbles.

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis demands Britain return the sculpture.

Mitsotakis likened dividing the Parthenon marbles to cutting the Mona Lisa in half.

The British Museum considers the stone sculptures a permanent part of its collection.

A meeting between Mitsotakis and British Prime Minister John Sinclair was canceled over Mitsotakis' Elgin Marbles comments.

Mitsotakis met with the Labour Party leader, possibly prompting the cancellation of his meeting with Sinclair.

The Elgin Marbles were shipped from Greece to Britain by the 7th Earl of Elgin in 1801.

The British Parliament did not pursue the Earl of Elgin for selling the stone sculpture to the government in 1816.

Mitsotakis says negotiations for the Elgin Marbles' return are slow.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will meet with UK leaders to discuss the return of the Elgin Marbles.

Keir Starmer is open to a loan deal to return parts of the ancient sculptures to Greece.

The British Museum is prohibited from handing over the Elgin Marbles due to a 1963 Act of Parliament.

George Osborne has backed a loan deal to return the sculptures to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures in London.

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis has held secret talks with George Osborne about returning the Elgin Marbles.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is open to a loan deal, but doubts the sculptures would be returned if lent to Greece.

The UK government has no plans to change the law protecting the British Museum's collection, including the Elgin Marbles.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis is demanding the return of the Elgin Marbles to Greece.

Mitsotakis claims the Elgin Marbles were stolen from Greece.

The Greek Prime Minister says the Elgin Marbles belong in Greece.

Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, is a classicist with an interest in Greek history.

The return of the Elgin Marbles is a topic of discussion between Greece and Britain.

The Elgin Marbles' removal by Lord Elgin is debated as either theft or legal.

The Greek Prime Minister sees the return of the Elgin Marbles as more than a legal issue.

Returning the Elgin Marbles to Greece would be a "classy act" by the UK, says Stephen Fry.

Greece has been seeking the repatriation of the Elgin Marbles since their removal from the Parthenon in 1802.

The Elgin Marbles were taken from the Parthenon on Lord Elgin's order.

Stephen Fry proposes replacing the marbles with a virtual experience.

The British Museum houses 15 metopes, 17 pedimental figures, and 75 meters of the original frieze, while 50 meters remain in Athens.

Some Elgin Marbles are in European museums.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged the UK to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece.

The UK government claims the Elgin Marbles were legally acquired and owned by the British Museum.

The British Museum's website states that Lord Elgin's actions were found to be entirely legal by a 1816 parliamentary select committee.

A deal to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece is reportedly at an advanced stage.

The British Museum and the Greek prime minister have been in talks since November about returning the Elgin Marbles.

Ta Nea has been reporting on the negotiations between the British Museum and the Greek government.

The Elgin Marbles controversy involves cultural artifacts.

Snapchat's AR technology could enhance museum experiences and help resolve cultural artifact disputes, like the Elgin Marbles.

The Elgin Marbles are a significant part of the world's cultural heritage, appreciable through AR-enhanced exhibitions.

AR technology can facilitate a deeper understanding of cultural artifacts and promote cross-cultural dialogue.

Snapchat is exploring using its AR technology to help resolve diplomatic disputes over cultural artifacts like the Elgin Marbles.

AR technology can make cultural artifacts like the Elgin Marbles more accessible, fostering understanding and appreciation of their historical significance.

The Elgin Marbles controversy highlights ownership and preservation issues, which AR technology can help address.

AR-enhanced exhibitions offer an immersive experience, allowing visitors to interact with cultural artifacts like the Elgin Marbles in new ways.

The Elgin Marbles have been at the center of a diplomatic dispute between Britain and Greece for over 200 years.

The Parthenon statues were removed by the 7th Earl of Elgin in 1801 and shipped to England.

The Earl of Elgin claimed to have Ottoman permission, but the original letter has been lost.

The British government purchased the statues from the Earl of Elgin in 1816 for the British Museum.

Greece has been seeking the return of the Parthenon marbles from the UK since 1983.

UNESCO's efforts to coordinate the return of the statues have been unsuccessful.

Lina Mendoni has accused the Earl of Elgin of illegally removing the statues.

The Elgin Marbles controversy is not mentioned.

The Cerne Abbas Giant is a hill figure in Dorset.

The National Trust released a video on the Cerne Abbas Giant.

The video sparked controversy due to its lack of sensitivity to cultural implications.

The Cerne Abbas Giant is a symbol of British history due to its ancient origins and cultural significance.

The giant is interpreted as an archaeological curiosity, a fertility symbol, and a representation of pagan worship.

The Cerne Abbas Giant controversy highlights the need for balanced and inclusive presentation of historical sites.

The National Trust should have been more cautious in depicting the giant due to its contentious history.

The Elgin Marbles were removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin and shipped to England in the early 1800s.

Title:

Content: Opinion

Bring them home

At the end of August, it was reported that around 2,000 artefacts, including gold jewellery and gems, had been stolen from the British Museum over a long period of time.

Chairman of the trustees, George Osborne acknowledged that the museum’s reputation has suffered as a result of its mishandling of the thefts, which sparked outrage after it was revealed that most of the stolen antiquities may never be recovered due to the museum’s poor record keeping, raising questions about security and leadership.

For decades, the British Museum has argued that the Parthenon Marbles should not be returned to Greece since the country lacks a suitable location for their display.

The Acropolis Museum, on the other hand, has solidified its place among the world’s top ten best museums and is the go-to museum in Athens where one can readily understand why Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization. So, why not return the Parthenon marbles to their rightful home, and how did they end up in the British Museum in the first place?

In the early 1800s, when British aristocrat Lord Elgin sailed home from Greece, he also shipped to England some of the greatest treasures of antiquity, which included a collection of Greek statues and carved frieze panels that once decorated the Parthenon in Athens.

The so-called Elgin Marbles were later sold to the British government with the approval of the Ottomans who ruled Greece at the time and became the most storied artefacts in the British Museum’s collection. They also became the subject of perhaps the world’s most notorious cultural dispute.

The British maintain that the marbles were legally acquired and they belong in a universal museum alongside other artefacts, excluding the 2,000 that were now reportedly stolen. The Greeks, on the other hand, view them as looted treasures that form the cornerstone of their national heritage.

For decades, the issue of the Parthenon Marbles has been on the agenda of the Unesco Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property (ICPRCP). In fact, it was Melina Mercouri, the Greek Minister of Culture at the time, who raised the matter of their return during the 1982 Unesco World Conference.

Although the forum ruled in favour of the cause, stating that restitution of works illegally removed from their countries of origin is a fundamental principle of people-to-people cultural relations, Mercouri’s British counterpart responded that the UK Government “could not intervene in the affairs of a private establishment like the British Museum.”

While efforts are underway to retrieve the stolen antiquities, the British Museum’s collections may never be recovered because the museum’s records only identify the collection as a whole and fail to list the individual pieces.

This is not the first time the museum’s image as a safe keeper of global treasures has been called into doubt. The poor condition of the British Museum’s western block has been recorded numerous times. Images of water leaking into the Parthenon gallery were broadcast on Greek television in 2018, resulting from a cracked glass ceiling pane. Although the glass was replaced with new fixings and no sculptures were destroyed, a leaking roof in 2021 resulted in water seeping through, once again, delaying the reopening of the Greek galleries following the pandemic.

The British Museum claimed that none of the statues had been damaged and the issue was addressed. However, for Greece, these events demonstrate that the British Museum is failing to care for the Parthenon Marbles, reinforcing the country’s legitimate claim that the sculptures be permanently returned to Athens.

Earlier this year, the British Museum moved closer to a landmark agreement with Athens that could result in the return of the marbles. Although existing legislation makes it illegal to give away treasures, Osborne is reportedly seeking to repatriate the Parthenon Marbles as part of a cultural exchange that would see other Greek antiques displayed at the British Museum. Over half of the British people support their repatriation to Greece.

Hundreds of statues from the Archaic and Classical periods can be found at the ultramodern Acropolis Museum. The top level is the museum’s showcase, which provides a visual link to the Acropolis and allows visitors to view both the monument and its sculptures. The majority of the Parthenon Marbles will be displayed there upon their anticipated return.

The Parthenon Sculptures were made in Greece by Greeks to honour the glory of Greece. They represent millions of people’s cultural identities. Greece is their true home. It is where they belong.

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The Elgin Marbles were sold to the British government with Ottoman approval.

The British Museum argues that the Parthenon Marbles should not be returned to Greece due to a lack of a suitable display location.

The Acropolis Museum in Athens is among the world's top ten museums and is well-suited to display the Parthenon Marbles.

The Parthenon Marbles' return has been on the Unesco ICPRCP's agenda for decades.

The 1982 Unesco World Conference ruled in favour of returning the Parthenon Marbles, citing restitution as a fundamental principle of cultural relations.

The British Museum's record keeping and security have raised questions about its care for the Parthenon Marbles.

The British Museum has experienced water leakage and damage, including in the Parthenon gallery.

The British Museum is seeking to repatriate the Parthenon Marbles to Athens.

Title:

Content: Main content

Reports say a deal to return Elgin Marbles to Greece is at an "advanced stage"

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

Also on the programme: an alternative to plastic; and the story of how a fossil, which lay unnoticed in a drawer for over half a century, has advanced our understanding of the origins of reptiles.

(Picture: One of the Parthenon Statues, also known as the Elgin Marbles. Credit: Reuters)

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Most British people support returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.

The Parthenon Marbles are a cornerstone of Greek heritage.

The Acropolis Museum will display most of the Parthenon Marbles when they return.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis is trying to broker a deal for the return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

The Parthenon marbles, or Elgin marbles, were removed from the Acropolis over 200 years ago by Lord Elgin.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

Greece accuses Britain of stealing 2,500-year-old sculptures.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

Mitsotakis has offered to loan Greek treasures to the British Museum in exchange for the return of the Parthenon marbles.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

The British government, led by Boris Johnson, has ruled out returning the marbles, citing they were acquired legally.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

The Parthenon marbles are mostly displayed in London museums.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

Greece has long sought reunification of the sculptures for better understanding in the context of the Acropolis.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

The Parthenon marbles are at the center of a famous cultural dispute.

Title:

Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

Mitsotakis plans to raise the issue with Johnson during their meeting.

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Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

The British Museum's trustees have owned the Parthenon marbles since their acquisition.

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Content: Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

The Elgin Marbles have been Greek for over two thousand years.

Title:

Content:
Send Them Home

The Elgin Marbles, actually the Parthenon Marbles, have been Greek for over two thousand years and still are in every way except location. They were taken, realistically stolen, by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and most people believe should be returned but that is actually illegal under British Museum Act 1963 and offers to ‘lend’ them are insulting.

One of the most obvious concerns that many museums have is that they would be emptied of items that were acquired, a weasel word for stolen, during times when the attitudes were different. Different attitudes do not condone theft.

Let’s return the thefts of the past to their rightful owners and put the past attitudes in the rubbish bin of time.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia

Related Articles

Lord Elgin took the Elgin Marbles in the early 1800s.

Title:

Content:
Send Them Home

The Elgin Marbles, actually the Parthenon Marbles, have been Greek for over two thousand years and still are in every way except location. They were taken, realistically stolen, by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and most people believe should be returned but that is actually illegal under British Museum Act 1963 and offers to ‘lend’ them are insulting.

One of the most obvious concerns that many museums have is that they would be emptied of items that were acquired, a weasel word for stolen, during times when the attitudes were different. Different attitudes do not condone theft.

Let’s return the thefts of the past to their rightful owners and put the past attitudes in the rubbish bin of time.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia

Related Articles

The Elgin Marbles are believed to belong in Greece.

Title:

Content:
Send Them Home

The Elgin Marbles, actually the Parthenon Marbles, have been Greek for over two thousand years and still are in every way except location. They were taken, realistically stolen, by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and most people believe should be returned but that is actually illegal under British Museum Act 1963 and offers to ‘lend’ them are insulting.

One of the most obvious concerns that many museums have is that they would be emptied of items that were acquired, a weasel word for stolen, during times when the attitudes were different. Different attitudes do not condone theft.

Let’s return the thefts of the past to their rightful owners and put the past attitudes in the rubbish bin of time.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia

Related Articles

The British Museum Act 1963 prohibits the return of the Elgin Marbles to Greece.

Title:

Content:
Send Them Home

The Elgin Marbles, actually the Parthenon Marbles, have been Greek for over two thousand years and still are in every way except location. They were taken, realistically stolen, by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and most people believe should be returned but that is actually illegal under British Museum Act 1963 and offers to ‘lend’ them are insulting.

One of the most obvious concerns that many museums have is that they would be emptied of items that were acquired, a weasel word for stolen, during times when the attitudes were different. Different attitudes do not condone theft.

Let’s return the thefts of the past to their rightful owners and put the past attitudes in the rubbish bin of time.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia

Related Articles

Offers to lend the Elgin Marbles to Greece are seen as insulting.

Title:

Content:
Send Them Home

The Elgin Marbles, actually the Parthenon Marbles, have been Greek for over two thousand years and still are in every way except location. They were taken, realistically stolen, by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and most people believe should be returned but that is actually illegal under British Museum Act 1963 and offers to ‘lend’ them are insulting.

One of the most obvious concerns that many museums have is that they would be emptied of items that were acquired, a weasel word for stolen, during times when the attitudes were different. Different attitudes do not condone theft.

Let’s return the thefts of the past to their rightful owners and put the past attitudes in the rubbish bin of time.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia

Related Articles

Museums fear that returning the Elgin Marbles could set a precedent for returning other similarly acquired items.

Title:

Content:
Send Them Home

The Elgin Marbles, actually the Parthenon Marbles, have been Greek for over two thousand years and still are in every way except location. They were taken, realistically stolen, by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and most people believe should be returned but that is actually illegal under British Museum Act 1963 and offers to ‘lend’ them are insulting.

One of the most obvious concerns that many museums have is that they would be emptied of items that were acquired, a weasel word for stolen, during times when the attitudes were different. Different attitudes do not condone theft.

Let’s return the thefts of the past to their rightful owners and put the past attitudes in the rubbish bin of time.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia

Related Articles

Acquiring items during times of different attitudes is often considered theft.

Title:

Content:
Send Them Home

The Elgin Marbles, actually the Parthenon Marbles, have been Greek for over two thousand years and still are in every way except location. They were taken, realistically stolen, by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and most people believe should be returned but that is actually illegal under British Museum Act 1963 and offers to ‘lend’ them are insulting.

One of the most obvious concerns that many museums have is that they would be emptied of items that were acquired, a weasel word for stolen, during times when the attitudes were different. Different attitudes do not condone theft.

Let’s return the thefts of the past to their rightful owners and put the past attitudes in the rubbish bin of time.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia

Related Articles

The Elgin Marbles are 2,500-year-old sculptures removed from Athens' Parthenon temple by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century.

Title:

Content: LONDON (Reuters) - The historic Greek treasure of Elgin Marbles is nearing its return to its country of origin, 200 years after it was moved and ended up in the British Museum.
The Parthenon marble, seen as a symbol of freedom in Greece, was controversially moved out of the country by a British diplomat in a move that ignited a debate that lasted more than two centuries.
Greece has made repeated requests for the sculptures to be returned after they were controversially removed from one of the world ’ s most historic landmarks.
Prime Minister Rishi Sonak had been scheduled to meet his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday, but Downing Street canceled the arrangement and sent Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Duden instead.
The head of the British Museum, former Conservative Chancellor George Osborne, is pushing for a temporary loan to be returned to Greece, and is believed to have drawn up a deal.
But both Sonak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer say they will not support a change to the British Museum law that currently bars their return.
The museum said it was continuing "constructive discussions" about their possible return.
Gin Marble
The Algin marble is 17 sculptures that are 2,500 years old.
His pieces were part of a frieze that adorned the ancient Parthenon temple at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.
The marbles make up about half of the 160-meter-long frieze of the Parthenon Temple, which is considered one of the greatest cultural monuments in the world.
These sculptures are seen as symbols of freedom in Greece, where they are known as Parthenon marble.
British diplomat Lord Elgin removed the sculptures from the majestic Parthenon temple in the early 19th century.
At that time, he was ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which ruled Greece.
Beginning in 1801, Lord Elgin is said to have supervised the removal of the marble and shipped it to the UK in 170 boxes.
He is said to have claimed to have obtained permission from the Ottoman Empire to move the marble, but despite massive documentation from that period, nothing was found to support his actions.
In the United Kingdom, Lord Elgin received support and criticism, and sold it to the United Kingdom government in 1816 before the marble was transferred to the custody of the British Museum.
The beginning and evolution of the dispute
The controversy between Greece and Britain can be traced back to when the marble first arrived in Britain due to criticism of its removal.
In 1832, Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire before it began trying to recover sculptures and other works of art taken from the country.
In the early 1980s, the actress and then Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercury, reignited the campaign when she made it her mission to secure the return of marble sculptures.
In 1983, she met with the director of the British Museum, Dr. David Wilson, in London to demand the return of the sculptures.
She continued to press the museum and the British government until her death in 1994.
Despite other requests and high-level media coverage, no agreement was reached in the years that followed.
A new campaign
In 2009, Greece stepped up its marble recovery campaign after opening a new museum at the foot of the Acropolis Hill, hoping one day to house it.
In 2014, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney called on Britain to start talks with Greece over the return of the Elgin marble.
The lawyer, who is the wife of Hollywood star George Clooney, said: "This is an injustice that has been going on for a long time, in a world full of intractable conflicts."
In 2015, Greece ruled out any legal action against the UK over Elgin Marbles.
In May 2022, the so-called Fagan fragment — a piece showing the foot of the ancient Greek goddess Artemis seated — was permanently returned to Athens from a museum in Italy.
It was originally part of the eastern frieze of the temple dating back to the 5th century BC.
The British reaction
In 2022, there were calls to make it easier for UK museums to consider returning cultural objects, but the government rejected them.
Former Conservative culture minister Lord Vaizi also headed a new body aimed at returning Elgin marble to Greece.
The refusal came after then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the Greek prime minister during talks at Downing Street in 2021 that the sculpture issue was "a matter for the curators of the British Museum".
Then, at the beginning of December, George Osborne, the head of the British Museum, reportedly held secret talks with the Greek prime minister about the possibility of returning the marble sculptures.
Negotiations between former Treasury Secretary Osborne and Kiriakos Mitsotakis have been taking place in London since November 2021, according to the Greek daily Ta Nea.
The Greek prime minister has on numerous occasions called for the relocation of the sculptures, and even offered to lend other treasures to the British Museum in return.
A spokesman for Project Parthenon, a campaign advocating the return of marble sculptures, hailed the talks as a “positive sign ” that a“ win-win solution ” to the centuries-old debate could be reached.
Possible deal?
In December last year, Downing Street said there were no plans to change the law that prohibits the museum from disposing of objects in its collection except in very limited circumstances.
A spokesman for the prime minister said: “The Parthenon sculptures are legally owned by trustees and are practically independent of the government. ”
Last month, the British Museum issued a statement saying it would not dismantle its collection “because it tells a unique story of our common humanity, ” but added that it wanted to forge a new“ Parthenon partnership ” with Greece.
The talks in Westminster were used by former culture minister Lord Vaizi to press again for the return of the sculptures.
He said that the frieze in Athens "resembles a film that was cut in half and half of it was moved against the will of its owners to another country."
After cancelling the bilateral meeting between Sonak and Mitsotakis on Tuesday, the Greek leader said he was "disappointed".
Mr Sonak said the UK “has no plans to change our approach ” but“ did not ask him [Mr Mitsotakis] what short-term or new ideas have been put forward ”.
Starmer and Mitsotakis Meet
Opposition Labour leader Sir Kiir Starmer met Mitsotakis on Monday.
A source close to Labour leader Sir Kiir Starmer told the Financial Times he was unlikely to change the law if he won the next election.
"We are committed to the current law, but if a mutually acceptable loan deal can be agreed between the British Museum and the Greek government, we will not stand in the way."
Is the agreement possible?
The head of the National Museum, George Osborne, is understood to have drawn up a deal with Athens, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Current legislation bars the museum from legally granting treasures, but Osborne is said to be seeking to repatriate the antiquities as part of a long-term "cultural exchange."
But this loan deal is not expected to permanently end the long-running dispute.
The article was prepared from the site of (Sky News) British channel:
https: / / news.sky.com / story / elgin-marbles-what-are-they-and-how-did-they-end-up-in-the-british-museum-12779617

The sculptures' removal sparked a long-running debate between Greece and the UK over their return.

The British Museum is committed to keeping the sculptures, but is open to a loan or cultural exchange with Greece.

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

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Press Eye / Refusal of the Parthenon Stone Sculpture
“Greek artefacts taken by the British 200 years ago set off a diplomatic storm, ” said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was scheduled to meet Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on November 29, but was temporarily canceled on the evening of the 28th.
In view of the long-standing dispute between the two sides over the ownership of the Parthenon marble statue in the British Museum, Greece originally promised not to use the meeting to openly discuss the issue of the ownership of the marble statue, but Mitsotakis described Parthenon as "like cutting the Mona Lisa in half" during his visit to the United Kingdom. Some of the marble statues of the temple are still in London, which displeased Sunak and angered Greece at the cancellation of the meeting.
This diplomatic storm caused the differences between Britain and Greece on the ownership of the marble statue to float on the table again.
The marble statue of the Parthenon temple at the heart of the English dispute, also known in England as "The Elgin Marbles" (The Elgin Marbles), mainly from the Parthenon temple in the Acropolis of Athens, built in the 5th century BC, has a history of more than 2500 years, including some from the Treasury of atreus on Mount Mycenae. More than 3,000 years.
This collection of more than 30 marble statues depicts scenes of Greek history and mythology, originally decorated in temples, including a 75 meter long relief showing the goddess Athena's birthday parade.
In 1801, the statue was shipped to England.
The marble was shipped to England in 1801 by Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin of Scotland, from the Acropolis of Athens; regarding the ownership of the stone, the Earl of Elgin insisted that he obtained permission from the Ottoman Turkish Empire, which ruled Greece at the time, to bring the stone to England, but the original of the permission letter he said had been lost, and the British Parliament at that time also gave him permission. The British poet Lord Byron accused the Earl of Elgin of robbery, but the council decided not to prosecute the Earl, and in 1816 the British government bought the statues from the Earl of Elgin and put them on display in the British Museum.
Today, the stone has been one of the most famous exhibits of the British Museum, Greece has been asking the United Kingdom to return the Parthenon marble statue since 1983, and UNESCO has also been involved in coordination with the British and Greek sides on the return of the stone statue at the request of Greece, but to no avail; in 2022, the Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni publicly accused the Earl of Elgin in The removal of the statue of Parthenon by illegal means without "real legal permission" was "a blatant continuous theft".
During Mitsotakis ’ visit to Britain, the two sides are scheduled to discuss diplomatic aspects, including the situation in Gaza, the Russian-Ukrainian war, illegal immigration, and so on; former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who left in mid-November, said during a visit to the Greek island of Samos that Britain has “a lot to learn from Greece ” in dealing with immigration.
The summit has been cancelled due to return issues.
However, the lunch meeting, scheduled for 29 November, was abruptly canceled on the evening of 28 November, and Mitsotakis said that he had hoped to discuss the issue of the Parthenon marble statues in the talks, and that the Greek view of the statues was well known; he also reminded that Greece and Britain had a traditional friendship, which he had hoped to take advantage of. "People who believe they are right and righteous will never be afraid of dissent," he said in a statement.
After the British government confirmed the cancellation of the talks, Mitsotakis proposed to meet with Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, but this was rejected.
The office at 10 Downing Street said that Greece had originally promised not to use the meeting as a platform to openly discuss the return of the Parthenon marble statue, but the Greek side broke its promise and therefore believed that the two sides would not have much benefit.
The so-called "breach of promise" refers to Mitsotakis in an interview with the BBC about the Parthenon marble statue, because some of the statues are currently in the Parthenon Temple, and the other part is in the British Museum, Mitsotakis said that the United Kingdom should return the stone statue, and use "like the Mona Lisa cut in half" to describe the situation.
However, the Greek government has denied making such a promise.
The British Labour Party and the Government are in opposition.
The cancellation of the meeting caused concern in the British political and media, the Labour Party said that the decision to cancel the meeting was "deplorable", indicating that the Sunak government was "narrow minded"; the position of the Labour Party on the attribution of the Parthenon marble statue is far from being as strong as the Conservative Party, and the position of Labour Party leader Keir Starmer is that the position of the British Museum and Athens agreed that the statue could be temporarily loaned to Greece, but the Conservatives objected, fearing that if the statue was lent to Greece, it would never be returned to the United Kingdom — the British Museum was banned from disposing of its collections in 1963, so the ownership of the statue was no longer a matter for the British Museum alone, and Sunak had previously made clear that he would never support amending the law.
It is worth noting that Mitsotakis has already met with Scheer, and the Guardian quoted Greek sources as saying that Athens' assessment of the matter may also be one of the reasons why 10 Downing Street is dissatisfied with Mitsotakis, and because the Labour Party is far ahead of the Conservative Party in the polls, there is a great chance of winning the 2024 election again. It will become more and more frequent.
Prior to his meeting with Mitsotakis, Scheer expressed his support for a loan agreement to exchange the Parthenon marble statue with Athens for other ancient Greek artifacts that had not been to Britain for display at the British Museum.
However, Scheer did not intend to discuss the matter publicly, fearing that it would cause voters to resent the Labour Party, and stressed that he was opposed to amending the 1963 law that prevented the British Museum from returning the statue.
In fact, the agreement did not solve the biggest dispute between Greece and Britain over the return of the statue, which is "who exactly belongs to the marble statue of the Parthenon"; Greece naturally wanted to return the title to itself, but even if the agreement could be reached, Britain still considered the statue to be "lent" and the title to the British Museum.
Mitsotakis ’ s trip to Britain ended in haste, returning to Greece early, and both countries are still waiting to see how the dispute should end, but for the British government, which wants to establish stable relations with its European allies after Brexit, the result is clearly contrary to the goal, and in Britain, it is more about the policy differences between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party.
A Labour spokesman said: “If the Prime Minister is unable to meet with European allies who have vital economic links with the UK, it is further evidence that he cannot provide the economic leadership our country needs. ”
And the Labour Party, led by Schkeel, is ready. "
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Greece has repeatedly requested the return of the sculptures, a key part of its cultural heritage.

The UK government has no plans to change the law prohibiting the British Museum from disposing of its collection, except in limited circumstances.

George Osborne, head of the British Museum, is believed to have made a deal with Greece that may include returning the Elgin Marbles.

Sir Keir Starmer will not block a loan deal between the British Museum and Greece, but is unlikely to change the law.

The Greek government has proposed a cultural exchange or loan of other treasures in exchange for the Elgin Marbles.

The British Museum wants to forge a new.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has demanded the British Museum return the Parthenon statues, or Elgin Marbles.

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Greek PM reiterates demand for British Museum to return Parthenon statue, British PM cancels meeting, sparking diplomatic row
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in an interview with the BBC on Sunday, reiterated that the authorities want the British Museum to return some of the statues that were “stolen ” from the Parthenon Temple.
What we want you to know is
Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis, in an interview with the BBC on Sunday (26), described the Parthenon shrine as part of the statue group in Greece, part in the United Kingdom, like the "Mona Lisa smile" torn in half and asked Britain to return it.
British Prime Minister David Sunak then called the meeting a "temporary cancellation" hours before the meeting, prompting discontent from Mitsotakis, Greek officials and the public, calling it a "diplomatic crisis."
In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated that the British Museum wants to return some of the “stolen ” statues from the Parthenon Temple. Subsequently, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, hours before the meeting with Mitsotakis, a temporary resolution to cancel, sparking a diplomatic dispute between the two countries.
BBC, British authorities claim that Sunak cancelled the meeting because Mitsotakis broke his promise to "not talk about the statue".
Mitsotakis, however, said it was Greece ’ s consistent and public stance to demand the British Museum return of the statue, saying in a statement: “I would like to express my dissatisfaction with the temporary cancellation by the United Kingdom just hours before the meeting. ”
The Greeks worked for hundreds of years to return the statue of the Parthenon.
The controversial statue is one of a group of marble statues used to decorate the Parthenon Temple in the ancient Greek city of Athens, also known as the Elgin Marbles.
In the 19th century, the British diplomat to the Ottoman Empire, the 7th Earl of Elgin, secretly removed the stone carvings and brought them back to Britain for collection in the British Museum.
At that time, Elgin claimed that he had taken the stone carvings with the permission of the Ottoman Empire and therefore had legitimacy.
However, the Greek authorities do not think so.
Since 1983, the Greek government has been trying to coordinate with the UK to ask them to return the stone carvings. In 2022, UNESCO also intervened to facilitate talks, but to no avail.
Therefore, the issue of the return of the stone carvings has become the core issue and exchange condition of many negotiations between Greece and Britain, including of course the meeting originally planned by Sunak and Mitsotakis.
Statues of the Parthenon Temple are mainly located in Athens and the British Museum.
In an interview with the BBC on the 26th, Mitsotakis described: "The scattered statue is like tearing the famous painting" Mona Lisa's Smile "in two parts and giving it to two museums." He called on the British authorities and the British Museum to return the "stolen" stone carvings and work together so that people can enjoy the statue "in its place".
Because of these remarks, Sunak temporarily announced on Monday night that he would cancel his meeting with Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
According to the Guardian, the British government said that the content of Mitsotakis ’ interview with the BBC violates the commitment of the two countries to “not talk about the return of stone carvings ” agreed in 2021.
The Greek authorities immediately denied the claim, and Mitsotakiston said that Greece ’ s position on asking Britain to return the statue was well known and reiterated during his tenure as prime minister.
The conversation should have been about the climate crisis, the Israeli-Kazakh conflict, the Russian-Ukrainian war, the British and Greek immigration plans, and the Parthenon statue.
After Sunak cancelled the talks, the British offered to have Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden attend, but Mitsotakis refused, and the two sides did not meet.
UK has no plans to amend the British Museum Act
The New York Times reported that in the past two years, the Greek government and the British Museum have repeatedly held "delicate negotiations" over the return of the statue, but the two sides have yet to reach a consensus.
According to the report, the Greek authorities want the British Museum to return all the Parthenon stone carvings, in exchange for which the Greek Museum will regularly select artefacts for display in the British Museum.
For its part, the British Museum agreed to "borrow" some of the Parthenon stone carvings and other exhibits from the Greek government for a short period of time. If Greece "returns" on schedule, the British Museum will "lend" more stone carvings.
Mitsotakis also mentioned in an interview with the BBC that the outcome of the negotiations at this stage is not as good as he expected, but he considers himself a man of perseverance and said: "Greece has waited for hundreds of years, we can wait more."
“I ’ m going to stand firm and be willing to continue negotiations.
A British government spokesman told The Guardian they were concerned that the return of stone carvings to Greece could create a “slippery slope ” that could trigger a wave of returns of disputed artifacts from other collections.
In addition, the British Museum Act 1963 states that the British Museum may not return its collections to its homeland.
According to the BBC, the British government has no plans to amend the decree, which means that the British authorities are unwilling to violate the decree and return the stone carvings to Greece.
The return of the stone sculpture is a matter of British election and diplomatic relations.
Evangelos Kyriakidis, head of the Greek Agency for Monuments and Estates, told Euronews that the Greek government attaches importance to the statues of the Parthenon temple because they are not only important monuments, but also a symbol of Greek national strength.
Kiriadis uses the metaphor of "the jewel of the crown of the king of England in Greece" to argue that the issue of the statue group is a matter of sovereignty.
The New York Times pointed out that the news of the cancellation of the meeting in Sunak immediately triggered the dissatisfaction of politicians of the Greek political party and caused a wave of criticism on social media, with many accounts condemning it as a diplomatic incident and a mini-diplomatic crisis between Greece and the United Kingdom.
The Guardian also quoted a Greek government spokesman, accusing Sunak of using the issue of the return of stone carvings with Greece to divert attention from Britain's internal affairs.
The spokesman said more bluntly that Sunak ’ s decision has the potential to damage Britain ’ s reputation in Europe, which is divided after Brexit.
A senior EU official also told The Guardian that cancelling the prime minister ’ s meeting and then sending the deputy prime minister to meet with the Greek prime minister would violate normal diplomatic procedures and damage Britain ’ s credibility.
He also said: "The United Kingdom, which wants to go global, cannot stop talking to friends about a problem that has existed for 200 years."
Another observer also pointed out that the British government is ahead of the serious refugee problem, and Greece is a member of the European Union that links Europe and the Mediterranean, which has important geopolitical significance.
Not only is there a diplomatic crisis, but the return of the stone carvings to the dispute may also bring about a domestic crisis for Sunak and the ruling party.
The New York Times reported that Britain will hold elections next year, and the ruling party is currently facing a long period of economic stagnation in the United Kingdom and divergent views on immigration policy. At this time, it has a conflict with Greece, which may make the question of the ownership of the statue an election point between the Labour Party and the Conservative Party.
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Rishi Sunak cancelled a meeting with Mitsotakis after Mitsotakis discussed the return of the statues with the BBC.

The British government and Mitsotakis disagree over whether he broke a promise about discussing the statue's return.

Greece has sought the UK's help in returning the statues since 1983.

UNESCO intervened in 2022, but no agreement was reached.

The British Museum Act 1963 prohibits the return of collections to their homeland.

The Greek government wants the British Museum to return the Parthenon carvings in exchange for lending artifacts.

The British Museum will borrow Parthenon carvings and exhibits from Greece for a short period.

The British Museum will borrow Parthenon carvings and exhibits from Greece for a short period.

The British Museum will borrow Parthenon carvings and exhibits from Greece for a short period.

The return of the statues could damage Britain's reputation in Europe.

The Sunak-Mitsotakis meeting cancellation has sparked criticism from Greek politicians and on social media.

Britain and Greece are in a dispute over the Elgin Marbles.

Title:

Content: International
International News
Chinese Premier Urges Return of Bart's Stone Sculpture
The British and Greek governments have been embroiled in a dispute over the marble sculpture of the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles).
British Prime Minister John Sinclair abruptly canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sin explained yesterday that Mitsotakis had cancelled his meeting with the other side because he had failed to honour his promise to not publicly dispute the ownership of the stone carvings.
Mitsotakis, in an interview with the British media earlier, demanded that Britain return the famous stolen stone sculpture.
Prime Minister Xi: As Mona Lisa cut half
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is visiting Britain on Sunday, said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the same day that he will discuss the issue of "the return of the British Museum to the marble carvings of the Parthenon Temple in Greece" during his meeting with Mr Sim.
He pointed out that the British Museum should return the stone carvings to Greece, describing some of the artefacts in London and others in Athens as cutting the Mona Lisa in half.
He also criticized the slow progress of negotiations to return the sculpture.
Mitsotakis was scheduled to meet with Mr Sim for 45 minutes in London at noon on Tuesday, but was told the day before that the meeting had been cancelled.
He hinted to reporters on Monday night that Mr. Xin had no guts to discuss the heritage issue with him.
British Conservative Party sources quoted by the BBC said the meeting was unlikely to continue after Mitsotakis made remarks about the stone carvings.
The source said that the British side's position is clear that the stone sculptures will always be the British Museum's collection.
The Guardian reported that Mitsotakis met with the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, Shih Chi-hsien, on Monday, which is believed to be another reason for the failure of the meeting with Xin Wei-cheng.
In 1801, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, a British diplomat, shipped the stone carvings from Greece to Britain.
British public opinion at the time disputed this.
After much debate, the British Parliament decided not to pursue the Earl of Elgin, who sold the stone sculpture to the British government in 1816 and eventually hid it in the British Museum.
(BBC / The Guardian)
Related Words: British Museum Battersea Temple Kyriakos Mitsotakis Rishi Sunak Anglo-Greek Relations Elgin Stone Sculpture
Previous / Next News

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis demands Britain return the sculpture.

Title:

Content: International
International News
Chinese Premier Urges Return of Bart's Stone Sculpture
The British and Greek governments have been embroiled in a dispute over the marble sculpture of the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles).
British Prime Minister John Sinclair abruptly canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sin explained yesterday that Mitsotakis had cancelled his meeting with the other side because he had failed to honour his promise to not publicly dispute the ownership of the stone carvings.
Mitsotakis, in an interview with the British media earlier, demanded that Britain return the famous stolen stone sculpture.
Prime Minister Xi: As Mona Lisa cut half
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is visiting Britain on Sunday, said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the same day that he will discuss the issue of "the return of the British Museum to the marble carvings of the Parthenon Temple in Greece" during his meeting with Mr Sim.
He pointed out that the British Museum should return the stone carvings to Greece, describing some of the artefacts in London and others in Athens as cutting the Mona Lisa in half.
He also criticized the slow progress of negotiations to return the sculpture.
Mitsotakis was scheduled to meet with Mr Sim for 45 minutes in London at noon on Tuesday, but was told the day before that the meeting had been cancelled.
He hinted to reporters on Monday night that Mr. Xin had no guts to discuss the heritage issue with him.
British Conservative Party sources quoted by the BBC said the meeting was unlikely to continue after Mitsotakis made remarks about the stone carvings.
The source said that the British side's position is clear that the stone sculptures will always be the British Museum's collection.
The Guardian reported that Mitsotakis met with the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, Shih Chi-hsien, on Monday, which is believed to be another reason for the failure of the meeting with Xin Wei-cheng.
In 1801, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, a British diplomat, shipped the stone carvings from Greece to Britain.
British public opinion at the time disputed this.
After much debate, the British Parliament decided not to pursue the Earl of Elgin, who sold the stone sculpture to the British government in 1816 and eventually hid it in the British Museum.
(BBC / The Guardian)
Related Words: British Museum Battersea Temple Kyriakos Mitsotakis Rishi Sunak Anglo-Greek Relations Elgin Stone Sculpture
Previous / Next News

Mitsotakis likened dividing the Parthenon marbles to cutting the Mona Lisa in half.

Title:

Content: International
International News
Chinese Premier Urges Return of Bart's Stone Sculpture
The British and Greek governments have been embroiled in a dispute over the marble sculpture of the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles).
British Prime Minister John Sinclair abruptly canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sin explained yesterday that Mitsotakis had cancelled his meeting with the other side because he had failed to honour his promise to not publicly dispute the ownership of the stone carvings.
Mitsotakis, in an interview with the British media earlier, demanded that Britain return the famous stolen stone sculpture.
Prime Minister Xi: As Mona Lisa cut half
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is visiting Britain on Sunday, said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the same day that he will discuss the issue of "the return of the British Museum to the marble carvings of the Parthenon Temple in Greece" during his meeting with Mr Sim.
He pointed out that the British Museum should return the stone carvings to Greece, describing some of the artefacts in London and others in Athens as cutting the Mona Lisa in half.
He also criticized the slow progress of negotiations to return the sculpture.
Mitsotakis was scheduled to meet with Mr Sim for 45 minutes in London at noon on Tuesday, but was told the day before that the meeting had been cancelled.
He hinted to reporters on Monday night that Mr. Xin had no guts to discuss the heritage issue with him.
British Conservative Party sources quoted by the BBC said the meeting was unlikely to continue after Mitsotakis made remarks about the stone carvings.
The source said that the British side's position is clear that the stone sculptures will always be the British Museum's collection.
The Guardian reported that Mitsotakis met with the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, Shih Chi-hsien, on Monday, which is believed to be another reason for the failure of the meeting with Xin Wei-cheng.
In 1801, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, a British diplomat, shipped the stone carvings from Greece to Britain.
British public opinion at the time disputed this.
After much debate, the British Parliament decided not to pursue the Earl of Elgin, who sold the stone sculpture to the British government in 1816 and eventually hid it in the British Museum.
(BBC / The Guardian)
Related Words: British Museum Battersea Temple Kyriakos Mitsotakis Rishi Sunak Anglo-Greek Relations Elgin Stone Sculpture
Previous / Next News

The British Museum considers the stone sculptures a permanent part of its collection.

Title:

Content: International
International News
Chinese Premier Urges Return of Bart's Stone Sculpture
The British and Greek governments have been embroiled in a dispute over the marble sculpture of the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles).
British Prime Minister John Sinclair abruptly canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sin explained yesterday that Mitsotakis had cancelled his meeting with the other side because he had failed to honour his promise to not publicly dispute the ownership of the stone carvings.
Mitsotakis, in an interview with the British media earlier, demanded that Britain return the famous stolen stone sculpture.
Prime Minister Xi: As Mona Lisa cut half
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is visiting Britain on Sunday, said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the same day that he will discuss the issue of "the return of the British Museum to the marble carvings of the Parthenon Temple in Greece" during his meeting with Mr Sim.
He pointed out that the British Museum should return the stone carvings to Greece, describing some of the artefacts in London and others in Athens as cutting the Mona Lisa in half.
He also criticized the slow progress of negotiations to return the sculpture.
Mitsotakis was scheduled to meet with Mr Sim for 45 minutes in London at noon on Tuesday, but was told the day before that the meeting had been cancelled.
He hinted to reporters on Monday night that Mr. Xin had no guts to discuss the heritage issue with him.
British Conservative Party sources quoted by the BBC said the meeting was unlikely to continue after Mitsotakis made remarks about the stone carvings.
The source said that the British side's position is clear that the stone sculptures will always be the British Museum's collection.
The Guardian reported that Mitsotakis met with the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, Shih Chi-hsien, on Monday, which is believed to be another reason for the failure of the meeting with Xin Wei-cheng.
In 1801, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, a British diplomat, shipped the stone carvings from Greece to Britain.
British public opinion at the time disputed this.
After much debate, the British Parliament decided not to pursue the Earl of Elgin, who sold the stone sculpture to the British government in 1816 and eventually hid it in the British Museum.
(BBC / The Guardian)
Related Words: British Museum Battersea Temple Kyriakos Mitsotakis Rishi Sunak Anglo-Greek Relations Elgin Stone Sculpture
Previous / Next News

A meeting between Mitsotakis and British Prime Minister John Sinclair was canceled over Mitsotakis' Elgin Marbles comments.

A meeting between Mitsotakis and British Prime Minister John Sinclair was canceled over Mitsotakis' Elgin Marbles comments.

A meeting between Mitsotakis and British Prime Minister John Sinclair was canceled over Mitsotakis' Elgin Marbles comments.

Mitsotakis met with the Labour Party leader, possibly prompting the cancellation of his meeting with Sinclair.

Title:

Content: International
International News
Chinese Premier Urges Return of Bart's Stone Sculpture
The British and Greek governments have been embroiled in a dispute over the marble sculpture of the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles).
British Prime Minister John Sinclair abruptly canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sin explained yesterday that Mitsotakis had cancelled his meeting with the other side because he had failed to honour his promise to not publicly dispute the ownership of the stone carvings.
Mitsotakis, in an interview with the British media earlier, demanded that Britain return the famous stolen stone sculpture.
Prime Minister Xi: As Mona Lisa cut half
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is visiting Britain on Sunday, said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the same day that he will discuss the issue of "the return of the British Museum to the marble carvings of the Parthenon Temple in Greece" during his meeting with Mr Sim.
He pointed out that the British Museum should return the stone carvings to Greece, describing some of the artefacts in London and others in Athens as cutting the Mona Lisa in half.
He also criticized the slow progress of negotiations to return the sculpture.
Mitsotakis was scheduled to meet with Mr Sim for 45 minutes in London at noon on Tuesday, but was told the day before that the meeting had been cancelled.
He hinted to reporters on Monday night that Mr. Xin had no guts to discuss the heritage issue with him.
British Conservative Party sources quoted by the BBC said the meeting was unlikely to continue after Mitsotakis made remarks about the stone carvings.
The source said that the British side's position is clear that the stone sculptures will always be the British Museum's collection.
The Guardian reported that Mitsotakis met with the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, Shih Chi-hsien, on Monday, which is believed to be another reason for the failure of the meeting with Xin Wei-cheng.
In 1801, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, a British diplomat, shipped the stone carvings from Greece to Britain.
British public opinion at the time disputed this.
After much debate, the British Parliament decided not to pursue the Earl of Elgin, who sold the stone sculpture to the British government in 1816 and eventually hid it in the British Museum.
(BBC / The Guardian)
Related Words: British Museum Battersea Temple Kyriakos Mitsotakis Rishi Sunak Anglo-Greek Relations Elgin Stone Sculpture
Previous / Next News

The Elgin Marbles were shipped from Greece to Britain by the 7th Earl of Elgin in 1801.

Title:

Content: International
International News
Chinese Premier Urges Return of Bart's Stone Sculpture
The British and Greek governments have been embroiled in a dispute over the marble sculpture of the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles).
British Prime Minister John Sinclair abruptly canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sin explained yesterday that Mitsotakis had cancelled his meeting with the other side because he had failed to honour his promise to not publicly dispute the ownership of the stone carvings.
Mitsotakis, in an interview with the British media earlier, demanded that Britain return the famous stolen stone sculpture.
Prime Minister Xi: As Mona Lisa cut half
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is visiting Britain on Sunday, said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the same day that he will discuss the issue of "the return of the British Museum to the marble carvings of the Parthenon Temple in Greece" during his meeting with Mr Sim.
He pointed out that the British Museum should return the stone carvings to Greece, describing some of the artefacts in London and others in Athens as cutting the Mona Lisa in half.
He also criticized the slow progress of negotiations to return the sculpture.
Mitsotakis was scheduled to meet with Mr Sim for 45 minutes in London at noon on Tuesday, but was told the day before that the meeting had been cancelled.
He hinted to reporters on Monday night that Mr. Xin had no guts to discuss the heritage issue with him.
British Conservative Party sources quoted by the BBC said the meeting was unlikely to continue after Mitsotakis made remarks about the stone carvings.
The source said that the British side's position is clear that the stone sculptures will always be the British Museum's collection.
The Guardian reported that Mitsotakis met with the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, Shih Chi-hsien, on Monday, which is believed to be another reason for the failure of the meeting with Xin Wei-cheng.
In 1801, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, a British diplomat, shipped the stone carvings from Greece to Britain.
British public opinion at the time disputed this.
After much debate, the British Parliament decided not to pursue the Earl of Elgin, who sold the stone sculpture to the British government in 1816 and eventually hid it in the British Museum.
(BBC / The Guardian)
Related Words: British Museum Battersea Temple Kyriakos Mitsotakis Rishi Sunak Anglo-Greek Relations Elgin Stone Sculpture
Previous / Next News

The British Parliament did not pursue the Earl of Elgin for selling the stone sculpture to the government in 1816.

Title:

Content: International
International News
Chinese Premier Urges Return of Bart's Stone Sculpture
The British and Greek governments have been embroiled in a dispute over the marble sculpture of the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles).
British Prime Minister John Sinclair abruptly canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sin explained yesterday that Mitsotakis had cancelled his meeting with the other side because he had failed to honour his promise to not publicly dispute the ownership of the stone carvings.
Mitsotakis, in an interview with the British media earlier, demanded that Britain return the famous stolen stone sculpture.
Prime Minister Xi: As Mona Lisa cut half
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is visiting Britain on Sunday, said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the same day that he will discuss the issue of "the return of the British Museum to the marble carvings of the Parthenon Temple in Greece" during his meeting with Mr Sim.
He pointed out that the British Museum should return the stone carvings to Greece, describing some of the artefacts in London and others in Athens as cutting the Mona Lisa in half.
He also criticized the slow progress of negotiations to return the sculpture.
Mitsotakis was scheduled to meet with Mr Sim for 45 minutes in London at noon on Tuesday, but was told the day before that the meeting had been cancelled.
He hinted to reporters on Monday night that Mr. Xin had no guts to discuss the heritage issue with him.
British Conservative Party sources quoted by the BBC said the meeting was unlikely to continue after Mitsotakis made remarks about the stone carvings.
The source said that the British side's position is clear that the stone sculptures will always be the British Museum's collection.
The Guardian reported that Mitsotakis met with the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, Shih Chi-hsien, on Monday, which is believed to be another reason for the failure of the meeting with Xin Wei-cheng.
In 1801, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, a British diplomat, shipped the stone carvings from Greece to Britain.
British public opinion at the time disputed this.
After much debate, the British Parliament decided not to pursue the Earl of Elgin, who sold the stone sculpture to the British government in 1816 and eventually hid it in the British Museum.
(BBC / The Guardian)
Related Words: British Museum Battersea Temple Kyriakos Mitsotakis Rishi Sunak Anglo-Greek Relations Elgin Stone Sculpture
Previous / Next News

Mitsotakis says negotiations for the Elgin Marbles' return are slow.

Title:

Content: International
International News
Chinese Premier Urges Return of Bart's Stone Sculpture
The British and Greek governments have been embroiled in a dispute over the marble sculpture of the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles).
British Prime Minister John Sinclair abruptly canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sin explained yesterday that Mitsotakis had cancelled his meeting with the other side because he had failed to honour his promise to not publicly dispute the ownership of the stone carvings.
Mitsotakis, in an interview with the British media earlier, demanded that Britain return the famous stolen stone sculpture.
Prime Minister Xi: As Mona Lisa cut half
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is visiting Britain on Sunday, said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the same day that he will discuss the issue of "the return of the British Museum to the marble carvings of the Parthenon Temple in Greece" during his meeting with Mr Sim.
He pointed out that the British Museum should return the stone carvings to Greece, describing some of the artefacts in London and others in Athens as cutting the Mona Lisa in half.
He also criticized the slow progress of negotiations to return the sculpture.
Mitsotakis was scheduled to meet with Mr Sim for 45 minutes in London at noon on Tuesday, but was told the day before that the meeting had been cancelled.
He hinted to reporters on Monday night that Mr. Xin had no guts to discuss the heritage issue with him.
British Conservative Party sources quoted by the BBC said the meeting was unlikely to continue after Mitsotakis made remarks about the stone carvings.
The source said that the British side's position is clear that the stone sculptures will always be the British Museum's collection.
The Guardian reported that Mitsotakis met with the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, Shih Chi-hsien, on Monday, which is believed to be another reason for the failure of the meeting with Xin Wei-cheng.
In 1801, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, a British diplomat, shipped the stone carvings from Greece to Britain.
British public opinion at the time disputed this.
After much debate, the British Parliament decided not to pursue the Earl of Elgin, who sold the stone sculpture to the British government in 1816 and eventually hid it in the British Museum.
(BBC / The Guardian)
Related Words: British Museum Battersea Temple Kyriakos Mitsotakis Rishi Sunak Anglo-Greek Relations Elgin Stone Sculpture
Previous / Next News

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will meet with UK leaders to discuss the return of the Elgin Marbles.

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Keir Starmer is open to a loan deal to return parts of the ancient sculptures to Greece.

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

The British Museum is prohibited from handing over the Elgin Marbles due to a 1963 Act of Parliament.

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

George Osborne has backed a loan deal to return the sculptures to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures in London.

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis has held secret talks with George Osborne about returning the Elgin Marbles.

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is open to a loan deal, but doubts the sculptures would be returned if lent to Greece.

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

The UK government has no plans to change the law protecting the British Museum's collection, including the Elgin Marbles.

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Kyriakos Mitsotakis is demanding the return of the Elgin Marbles to Greece.

Title:

Content: ‘They were stolen’ Greek PM demands return of the Elgin Marbles ‘Don’t belong to British’

GREEK Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning to demand the return of the Elgin Marbles ahead of meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Link copied

Richard Madeley announces break from Good Morning Britain

Joining Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke on a variety of topics surrounding the actions of Greek policies. When probed by Balls about the Elgin Marbles and how the Prime Minister should be thinking differently about them, Mitsotakis stated they were stolen from their origins, and they didn’t belong in British museums.

Greek PM demands for the Elgin Statues to be returned after saying they were stolen (Image: ITV/GETTY)

Balls introduced the topic and asked the PM: “Our Prime Minister likes his holidays so I’m thinking a Greek trip next year when you meet him.

“He also likes Greek history, I’m sure you’ll be discussing the Elgin marbles is there a chance in persuaded this classicist Prime Minister here in Britain to start thinking in a different way about the Elgin Marbles?”

Mitsotakis explained: “Well he should, he’s a lover of classical sculptures,” however Balls interrupted and asked him why they were here.

“They’re here because they were stolen by Lord Elgin!” Mitsotakis exclaimed to which Balls retaliated: “That’s debated, stolen or legal?”

“But at the end of the day this is not a legal argument, and I don’t like to talk about the return of the marbles.”

More to follow…

Mitsotakis claims the Elgin Marbles were stolen from Greece.

Title:

Content: ‘They were stolen’ Greek PM demands return of the Elgin Marbles ‘Don’t belong to British’

GREEK Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning to demand the return of the Elgin Marbles ahead of meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Link copied

Richard Madeley announces break from Good Morning Britain

Joining Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke on a variety of topics surrounding the actions of Greek policies. When probed by Balls about the Elgin Marbles and how the Prime Minister should be thinking differently about them, Mitsotakis stated they were stolen from their origins, and they didn’t belong in British museums.

Greek PM demands for the Elgin Statues to be returned after saying they were stolen (Image: ITV/GETTY)

Balls introduced the topic and asked the PM: “Our Prime Minister likes his holidays so I’m thinking a Greek trip next year when you meet him.

“He also likes Greek history, I’m sure you’ll be discussing the Elgin marbles is there a chance in persuaded this classicist Prime Minister here in Britain to start thinking in a different way about the Elgin Marbles?”

Mitsotakis explained: “Well he should, he’s a lover of classical sculptures,” however Balls interrupted and asked him why they were here.

“They’re here because they were stolen by Lord Elgin!” Mitsotakis exclaimed to which Balls retaliated: “That’s debated, stolen or legal?”

“But at the end of the day this is not a legal argument, and I don’t like to talk about the return of the marbles.”

More to follow…

The Greek Prime Minister says the Elgin Marbles belong in Greece.

Title:

Content: ‘They were stolen’ Greek PM demands return of the Elgin Marbles ‘Don’t belong to British’

GREEK Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning to demand the return of the Elgin Marbles ahead of meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Link copied

Richard Madeley announces break from Good Morning Britain

Joining Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke on a variety of topics surrounding the actions of Greek policies. When probed by Balls about the Elgin Marbles and how the Prime Minister should be thinking differently about them, Mitsotakis stated they were stolen from their origins, and they didn’t belong in British museums.

Greek PM demands for the Elgin Statues to be returned after saying they were stolen (Image: ITV/GETTY)

Balls introduced the topic and asked the PM: “Our Prime Minister likes his holidays so I’m thinking a Greek trip next year when you meet him.

“He also likes Greek history, I’m sure you’ll be discussing the Elgin marbles is there a chance in persuaded this classicist Prime Minister here in Britain to start thinking in a different way about the Elgin Marbles?”

Mitsotakis explained: “Well he should, he’s a lover of classical sculptures,” however Balls interrupted and asked him why they were here.

“They’re here because they were stolen by Lord Elgin!” Mitsotakis exclaimed to which Balls retaliated: “That’s debated, stolen or legal?”

“But at the end of the day this is not a legal argument, and I don’t like to talk about the return of the marbles.”

More to follow…

Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, is a classicist with an interest in Greek history.

Title:

Content: ‘They were stolen’ Greek PM demands return of the Elgin Marbles ‘Don’t belong to British’

GREEK Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning to demand the return of the Elgin Marbles ahead of meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Link copied

Richard Madeley announces break from Good Morning Britain

Joining Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke on a variety of topics surrounding the actions of Greek policies. When probed by Balls about the Elgin Marbles and how the Prime Minister should be thinking differently about them, Mitsotakis stated they were stolen from their origins, and they didn’t belong in British museums.

Greek PM demands for the Elgin Statues to be returned after saying they were stolen (Image: ITV/GETTY)

Balls introduced the topic and asked the PM: “Our Prime Minister likes his holidays so I’m thinking a Greek trip next year when you meet him.

“He also likes Greek history, I’m sure you’ll be discussing the Elgin marbles is there a chance in persuaded this classicist Prime Minister here in Britain to start thinking in a different way about the Elgin Marbles?”

Mitsotakis explained: “Well he should, he’s a lover of classical sculptures,” however Balls interrupted and asked him why they were here.

“They’re here because they were stolen by Lord Elgin!” Mitsotakis exclaimed to which Balls retaliated: “That’s debated, stolen or legal?”

“But at the end of the day this is not a legal argument, and I don’t like to talk about the return of the marbles.”

More to follow…

The return of the Elgin Marbles is a topic of discussion between Greece and Britain.

Title:

Content: ‘They were stolen’ Greek PM demands return of the Elgin Marbles ‘Don’t belong to British’

GREEK Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning to demand the return of the Elgin Marbles ahead of meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Link copied

Richard Madeley announces break from Good Morning Britain

Joining Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke on a variety of topics surrounding the actions of Greek policies. When probed by Balls about the Elgin Marbles and how the Prime Minister should be thinking differently about them, Mitsotakis stated they were stolen from their origins, and they didn’t belong in British museums.

Greek PM demands for the Elgin Statues to be returned after saying they were stolen (Image: ITV/GETTY)

Balls introduced the topic and asked the PM: “Our Prime Minister likes his holidays so I’m thinking a Greek trip next year when you meet him.

“He also likes Greek history, I’m sure you’ll be discussing the Elgin marbles is there a chance in persuaded this classicist Prime Minister here in Britain to start thinking in a different way about the Elgin Marbles?”

Mitsotakis explained: “Well he should, he’s a lover of classical sculptures,” however Balls interrupted and asked him why they were here.

“They’re here because they were stolen by Lord Elgin!” Mitsotakis exclaimed to which Balls retaliated: “That’s debated, stolen or legal?”

“But at the end of the day this is not a legal argument, and I don’t like to talk about the return of the marbles.”

More to follow…

The Elgin Marbles' removal by Lord Elgin is debated as either theft or legal.

Title:

Content: Categories
News Snapchat YouTube

Exploring the Intersection of Technology and Art: Augmented Reality Enhances Museum Experiences

Snapchat, a social media platform primarily known for its fun filters, is expanding its reach beyond entertainment and into the world of culture and the arts. With its augmented reality (AR) capabilities, Snapchat is transforming the way visitors experience museums and galleries around the globe.

Through the use of AR, Snapchat has collaborated with prestigious institutions such as the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Art Basel fair in Miami, the Design Museum in London, and most recently, the Louvre in Paris. At the Louvre, the department of Egyptian antiquities has been rejuvenated with 3D reconstructions of long-lost artwork and historic monuments, accessible to visitors through QR codes or the Snapchat camera.

Snapchat’s foray into the art world raises an intriguing question: could this technology provide a solution to diplomatic disputes surrounding cultural artifacts, such as the Elgin Marbles?

Donatien Bozon, the director of Snap’s AR studio in Paris, reveals that the company has initiated discussions on the matter. Snap’s AR team, consisting of 14 experts, was established with the goal of integrating AR into art, culture, and education. Bozon emphasizes that Snapchat’s technology offers more than just entertainment value, as it has the potential to enhance museum experiences, attract new audiences, and optimize existing physical spaces.

By leveraging the capabilities of the front camera on users’ phones, Snapchat’s AR empowers cultural institutions to offer interactive and immersive encounters with history and art. This innovative approach not only adds depth to museum displays but also enables visitors to engage with artifacts in unprecedented ways.

While the Elgin Marbles controversy remains a complex diplomatic issue, AR technology presents a promising avenue for bridging cultural divides and fostering understanding. Through AR-enhanced exhibitions, audiences around the world can virtually explore and appreciate the historical significance of these artifacts — a significant step toward a more inclusive approach to preserving and celebrating our shared cultural heritage.

FAQ

What is augmented reality (AR)?

Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital information, such as virtual objects or data, onto the real world. It enhances the user’s perception and interaction with their environment, blending virtual elements with the physical world.

How does Snapchat’s AR work?

Snapchat’s AR technology operates through the use of the smartphone’s camera. It recognizes the user’s surroundings and can place virtual objects, effects, or filters onto the real-world view displayed on the screen. This allows users to interact with virtual content and explore creative possibilities in their everyday surroundings.

Can AR technology resolve diplomatic disputes over cultural artifacts?

While AR technology cannot solve diplomatic disputes directly, it has the potential to facilitate a deeper understanding and appreciation of cultural artifacts. By virtually showcasing these treasures and making them accessible to a wider audience, AR technology promotes cultural exchange and encourages dialogue between countries involved in such disputes.

Title:

Content: International
International News
Chinese Premier Urges Return of Bart's Stone Sculpture
The British and Greek governments have been embroiled in a dispute over the marble sculpture of the Parthenon (also known as the Elgin Marbles).
British Prime Minister John Sinclair abruptly canceled a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Sin explained yesterday that Mitsotakis had cancelled his meeting with the other side because he had failed to honour his promise to not publicly dispute the ownership of the stone carvings.
Mitsotakis, in an interview with the British media earlier, demanded that Britain return the famous stolen stone sculpture.
Prime Minister Xi: As Mona Lisa cut half
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is visiting Britain on Sunday, said in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on the same day that he will discuss the issue of "the return of the British Museum to the marble carvings of the Parthenon Temple in Greece" during his meeting with Mr Sim.
He pointed out that the British Museum should return the stone carvings to Greece, describing some of the artefacts in London and others in Athens as cutting the Mona Lisa in half.
He also criticized the slow progress of negotiations to return the sculpture.
Mitsotakis was scheduled to meet with Mr Sim for 45 minutes in London at noon on Tuesday, but was told the day before that the meeting had been cancelled.
He hinted to reporters on Monday night that Mr. Xin had no guts to discuss the heritage issue with him.
British Conservative Party sources quoted by the BBC said the meeting was unlikely to continue after Mitsotakis made remarks about the stone carvings.
The source said that the British side's position is clear that the stone sculptures will always be the British Museum's collection.
The Guardian reported that Mitsotakis met with the leader of the British opposition Labour Party, Shih Chi-hsien, on Monday, which is believed to be another reason for the failure of the meeting with Xin Wei-cheng.
In 1801, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, a British diplomat, shipped the stone carvings from Greece to Britain.
British public opinion at the time disputed this.
After much debate, the British Parliament decided not to pursue the Earl of Elgin, who sold the stone sculpture to the British government in 1816 and eventually hid it in the British Museum.
(BBC / The Guardian)
Related Words: British Museum Battersea Temple Kyriakos Mitsotakis Rishi Sunak Anglo-Greek Relations Elgin Stone Sculpture
Previous / Next News

Title:

Content: Greek premier to meet Starmer and Sunak in renewed push to return Elgin marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis due to meet Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer in London next week

Matt Mathers
Saturday 25 November 2023 23:43
Comments
Elgin Marbles: British Museum lends statue

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to raise the issue of the Parthenon sculptures with the UK next week.

He is reportedly due to hold talks with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Monday and prime minister Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and will raise the subject with both.

The Financial Times reported that Mr Starmer was open to a potential loan deal that would see parts of the ancient sculptures returned. Labour declined to comment.

The 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Eglin Marbles, were taken from Athens to Britain by agents of Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Eglin, in the early 19th century and never returned. Greece says they were stolen, sparking a bitter and long-running dispute with the UK.

Housed in their own dedicated room, the sculptures of Olympian gods and goddesses, centaurs and warriors are among the greatest at the British Museum.

A 1963 Act of Parliament stops the British Museum from permanently handing them back.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair and the former Conservative Party MP and chancellor, has backed a loan deal.

“I hope we’ll find a way to partner with Greece so that a portion of the Marbles spend part of their time in Athens . . . and we see more of their treasures in return,” he wrote in The Spectator last week. Mr Osborne conceded that “we may well not succeed” but that it was “surely worth the effort”.

The proposed deal, which Mr Osborne and Mr Mitsotakis have held secret talks over, would allow the sculptures to return to Athens in exchange for Greek treasures being displayed in London.

Many of the artworks in question are in storage in museum vaults and have never before been seen.

Mr Mitsotakis, who has said it is his “passion” to get the sculptures back, is scheduled to meet both party leaders next week. He intends to raise the issue in both meetings, a person close to him told the FT.

Mr Sunak is said to be not opposed to the idea of a loan deal but sceptical that the sculptures would ever be returned if they were loaned to Greece, according to the paper.

No 10 has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson told the FT: “The UK has cared for the Elgin Marbles for generations.

“Our galleries and museums are funded by taxpayers because they are a huge asset to this country. “

We share their treasures with the world, and the world comes to the UK to see them. The collection of the British Museum is protected by law, and we have no plans to change it.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Title:

Content: Stephen Fry calls returning Elgin Marbles to Greece 'A classy thing at last'

THE ELGIN Marbles' return to Greece would be "a classy act" by the UK, says Stephen Fry.

Link copied

UK has 'no obligation' to return Elgin Marbles says Widdecombe

Greece has called for the repatriation of the collection of Elgin Marbles for more than 200 years – ever since they were taken from the Parthenon in 1802 on the order of Lord Elgin, Britain's then-ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Mr Fry, who said he is "very keen" to see the sculptures be returned to Athens, has been the latest to join the debate over the home of the monumental artwork.

The actor and broadcaster suggested the marbles be replaced with a virtual experience.

He stressed that with modern technology the carvings can be replicated using lasers.

He said: "So the British Museum would have a Parthenon experience and you go in and see this fabulous technology using AR helmets or whatever you want to wear and you see how the originals were perfectly reproduced and out in place and you watch them being packed up and put on the train."

The sculptures, which sit at the London-based institution, have not been available to be publicly viewed for nearly a year due to ongoing maintenance work and the coronavirus pandemic.

The British Museum is to reopen its Greek galleries to the public on Monday, December 13.

READ MORE: Boris in lockdown warning: 'Tidal wave' of Omicron to hit UK - PM unveils new jabs plan

Critics argue the Elgin Marbles, which sit at the British Museum, should be repatriated to Greece (Image: Getty)

Mr Fry, 64, said: "I know a lot of people say 'we've looked after them' and it's certainly true we've looked after them, but it would be such a classy act.

"I promise you one million Athenians would come on to the street to welcome them.

"They mean so much to the Greeks, they are part of the nature of what Athens is."

The British Museum houses 15 metopes, 17 pedimental figures and 75 metres of the original frieze.

50 metres remain in Athens and other parts are in museums across Europe.

Comedian Stephen Fry called returning the artwork would be 'a classy act' from Britain's side (Image: Getty)

The sculptures have been a subject of debate ever since the were taken from Greece in 1802 (Image: Getty)

Mr Fry claimed a move such as returning the Elgin Marbles is what the country needs: "There would be a hand-shake ceremony and suddenly people would for once look at Britain and say that was a classy act.

"It would be a classy thing and Britain hasn't done a classy thing for some time."

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking to the FT ahead of a foreign policy trip to the UK last month, said: "If I were in the PM's shoes and I were thinking out of the box in terms of global Britannia, and the idea of Britain really playing a role in the post-Brexit world, [it] would be a fantastic coup for public diplomacy if they were to look at this from a different perspective."

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Kyriakos Mitsotakis advocates for 'reunification' of Elgin Marbles

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged Boris Johnson to return the marbles to Athens (Image: Getty)

Then, during his visit to London, he urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to return the priceless ancient sculptures to Greece, again presenting it as a chance for the UK to strengthen its Global Britain standing.

Mr Johnson has so far not shown signs he intends to return the Elgin Marbles.

Speaking to the Greek paper Ta Nea earlier this year, he claimed: "The UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures.

"They were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition."

This aligns with the view outlined on the British Museum’s website, which backs Lord Elgin's efforts to bring the marbles to the UK in the early 19th century: "His actions were thoroughly investigated by a parliamentary select committee in 1816 and found to be entirely legal, prior to the sculptures entering the collection of the British Museum by act of parliament."

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Greek prime minister tries to broker deal for return of Parthenon marbles

Kyriakos Mitsotakis offers to loan Greek treasures to British Museum if ‘stolen’ sculptures are returned to Acropolis

The Greek prime minister has demanded that the 2,500-year-old Parthenon marbles, which he accuses Britain of stealing, be returned to Greece, and even offered to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in an attempt to broker a deal.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the Daily Telegraph that the sculptures, also known as the Elgin marbles, belong in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.

However, Boris Johnson has previously ruled out returning them on the grounds that they were acquired legally.

Mitsotakis said: “Our position is very clear. The marbles were stolen in the 19th century; they belong in the Acropolis Museum and we need to discuss this issue in earnest.

“I am sure that if there was a willingness on the part of the government to move we could find an arrangement with the British Museum in terms of us sending abroad cultural treasures on loan, which have never left the country.”

The marbles were removed from the Acropolis more than 200 years ago by Lord Elgin in circumstances that have spurred one of the world’s most famous cultural rows and have long been the subject of dispute.

Mitsotakis said he would raise the issue with Johnson when the two meet next week for talks that could shape future relations between the two countries.

“Refusing to discuss the topic seems to me, given the context of everything that has been happening in terms of the return of cultural treasures, to be rather an anachronistic approach,” he added.

“It would be a fantastic statement by what Boris calls Global Britain if they were to move on this and look at it through a completely different lens.”

But Johnson dismissed the appeal for their return to Greece earlier this year, telling the Greek newspaper Ta Nea: “I understand the strong feelings of the Greek people – and indeed prime minister Mitsotakis – on the issue.

“But the UK government has a firm, longstanding position on the sculptures, which is that they were legally acquired by Lord Elgin under the appropriate laws of the time and have been legally owned by the British Museum’s trustees since their acquisition.”

Greece has long called for the reunification of the sculptures, displayed in museums across Europe but mostly in London, and says it is integral to understanding the artworks in the context of the Acropolis.

The Greek Prime Minister sees the return of the Elgin Marbles as more than a legal issue.

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Content: ‘They were stolen’ Greek PM demands return of the Elgin Marbles ‘Don’t belong to British’

GREEK Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis joined Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning to demand the return of the Elgin Marbles ahead of meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

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Richard Madeley announces break from Good Morning Britain

Joining Good Morning Britain presenters Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke on a variety of topics surrounding the actions of Greek policies. When probed by Balls about the Elgin Marbles and how the Prime Minister should be thinking differently about them, Mitsotakis stated they were stolen from their origins, and they didn’t belong in British museums.

Greek PM demands for the Elgin Statues to be returned after saying they were stolen (Image: ITV/GETTY)

Balls introduced the topic and asked the PM: “Our Prime Minister likes his holidays so I’m thinking a Greek trip next year when you meet him.

“He also likes Greek history, I’m sure you’ll be discussing the Elgin marbles is there a chance in persuaded this classicist Prime Minister here in Britain to start thinking in a different way about the Elgin Marbles?”

Mitsotakis explained: “Well he should, he’s a lover of classical sculptures,” however Balls interrupted and asked him why they were here.

“They’re here because they were stolen by Lord Elgin!” Mitsotakis exclaimed to which Balls retaliated: “That’s debated, stolen or legal?”

“But at the end of the day this is not a legal argument, and I don’t like to talk about the return of the marbles.”

More to follow…

Returning the Elgin Marbles to Greece would be a "classy act" by the UK, says Stephen Fry.

Greece has been seeking the repatriation of the Elgin Marbles since their removal from the Parthenon in 1802.

The Elgin Marbles were taken from the Parthenon on Lord Elgin's order.

Stephen Fry proposes replacing the marbles with a virtual experience.

The British Museum houses 15 metopes, 17 pedimental figures, and 75 meters of the original frieze, while 50 meters remain in Athens.

Some Elgin Marbles are in European museums.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged the UK to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece.

The UK government claims the Elgin Marbles were legally acquired and owned by the British Museum.

The British Museum's website states that Lord Elgin's actions were found to be entirely legal by a 1816 parliamentary select committee.

A deal to return the Elgin Marbles to Greece is reportedly at an advanced stage.

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Content: Main content

Reports say a deal to return Elgin Marbles to Greece is at an "advanced stage"

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

Also on the programme: an alternative to plastic; and the story of how a fossil, which lay unnoticed in a drawer for over half a century, has advanced our understanding of the origins of reptiles.

(Picture: One of the Parthenon Statues, also known as the Elgin Marbles. Credit: Reuters)

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The British Museum and the Greek prime minister have been in talks since November about returning the Elgin Marbles.

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Content: Main content

Reports say a deal to return Elgin Marbles to Greece is at an "advanced stage"

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

Also on the programme: an alternative to plastic; and the story of how a fossil, which lay unnoticed in a drawer for over half a century, has advanced our understanding of the origins of reptiles.

(Picture: One of the Parthenon Statues, also known as the Elgin Marbles. Credit: Reuters)

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Ta Nea has been reporting on the negotiations between the British Museum and the Greek government.

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Content: Main content

Reports say a deal to return Elgin Marbles to Greece is at an "advanced stage"

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

The Greek daily newspaper, Ta Nea, says talks have been taking place between the British Museum and the Greek prime minister since November last year.

Also on the programme: an alternative to plastic; and the story of how a fossil, which lay unnoticed in a drawer for over half a century, has advanced our understanding of the origins of reptiles.

(Picture: One of the Parthenon Statues, also known as the Elgin Marbles. Credit: Reuters)

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The Elgin Marbles controversy involves cultural artifacts.

Snapchat's AR technology could enhance museum experiences and help resolve cultural artifact disputes, like the Elgin Marbles.

The Elgin Marbles are a significant part of the world's cultural heritage, appreciable through AR-enhanced exhibitions.

AR technology can facilitate a deeper understanding of cultural artifacts and promote cross-cultural dialogue.

Snapchat is exploring using its AR technology to help resolve diplomatic disputes over cultural artifacts like the Elgin Marbles.

AR technology can make cultural artifacts like the Elgin Marbles more accessible, fostering understanding and appreciation of their historical significance.

The Elgin Marbles controversy highlights ownership and preservation issues, which AR technology can help address.

AR-enhanced exhibitions offer an immersive experience, allowing visitors to interact with cultural artifacts like the Elgin Marbles in new ways.

The Elgin Marbles have been at the center of a diplomatic dispute between Britain and Greece for over 200 years.

The Parthenon statues were removed by the 7th Earl of Elgin in 1801 and shipped to England.

The Earl of Elgin claimed to have Ottoman permission, but the original letter has been lost.

The British government purchased the statues from the Earl of Elgin in 1816 for the British Museum.

Greece has been seeking the return of the Parthenon marbles from the UK since 1983.

UNESCO's efforts to coordinate the return of the statues have been unsuccessful.

Lina Mendoni has accused the Earl of Elgin of illegally removing the statues.

The Elgin Marbles controversy is not mentioned.

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The Cerne Abbas Giant: A Controversial Symbol of British History

The Cerne Abbas Giant, an ancient hill figure carved into the chalky slopes of Dorset, has become the subject of scrutiny and debate. The National Trust, responsible for managing the site, recently released a video aiming to educate visitors about the origins and significance of the giant. However, the portrayal of the figure has sparked controversy and divided opinions.

(Original Fact: The National Trust released a video about the Cerne Abbas Giant.)

The video, intended to be an informative guide, showcases the impressive size and unique features of the giant. However, critics argue that it lacks sensitivity and fails to address the cultural implications of the figure. They believe that the National Trust should have been more cautious in their depiction, considering the giant’s historic and sometimes contentious role.

While some view the giant simply as an archaeological curiosity, others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship. Its explicit nature and exaggerated attributes have led to debates about its appropriateness as a symbol of British history. By overlooking the multi-faceted nature of the giant, the National Trust inadvertently disregarded its complex significance to various communities.

(Original Quote: “It seems the National Trust have failed to recognize the potential nuance and controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant.”)

The controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant raises important questions about how historical sites should be presented to the public. It reminds us that heritage is often intertwined with conflicting narratives and cultural sensitivities that should not be dismissed or trivialized.

As the discussion unfolds, it is crucial for the National Trust and other heritage organizations to engage with diverse perspectives and seek a balanced portrayal of historical symbols. By fostering an inclusive dialogue, we can develop a deeper understanding of our past while respecting the beliefs and values of all communities involved.

FAQ:
Q: Is the Cerne Abbas Giant a symbol of British history?
A: Yes, the Cerne Abbas Giant is seen as a symbol of British history due to its ancient origins and cultural significance.

Q: Why did the National Trust’s video on the giant receive criticism?
A: The National Trust’s video received criticism for its lack of sensitivity and failure to address the complex cultural implications associated with the Cerne Abbas Giant.

Q: What are the different interpretations of the giant?
A: The giant is seen some as an archaeological curiosity, while others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship.

Q: What can we learn from the controversy surrounding the giant?
A: The controversy highlights the need for historical sites to be presented in a balanced and inclusive manner, respecting the diverse perspectives and cultural sensitivities involved.

The Cerne Abbas Giant is a hill figure in Dorset.

The National Trust released a video on the Cerne Abbas Giant.

The video sparked controversy due to its lack of sensitivity to cultural implications.

The Cerne Abbas Giant is a symbol of British history due to its ancient origins and cultural significance.

Title:

Content: Categories
News

The Cerne Abbas Giant: A Controversial Symbol of British History

The Cerne Abbas Giant, an ancient hill figure carved into the chalky slopes of Dorset, has become the subject of scrutiny and debate. The National Trust, responsible for managing the site, recently released a video aiming to educate visitors about the origins and significance of the giant. However, the portrayal of the figure has sparked controversy and divided opinions.

(Original Fact: The National Trust released a video about the Cerne Abbas Giant.)

The video, intended to be an informative guide, showcases the impressive size and unique features of the giant. However, critics argue that it lacks sensitivity and fails to address the cultural implications of the figure. They believe that the National Trust should have been more cautious in their depiction, considering the giant’s historic and sometimes contentious role.

While some view the giant simply as an archaeological curiosity, others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship. Its explicit nature and exaggerated attributes have led to debates about its appropriateness as a symbol of British history. By overlooking the multi-faceted nature of the giant, the National Trust inadvertently disregarded its complex significance to various communities.

(Original Quote: “It seems the National Trust have failed to recognize the potential nuance and controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant.”)

The controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant raises important questions about how historical sites should be presented to the public. It reminds us that heritage is often intertwined with conflicting narratives and cultural sensitivities that should not be dismissed or trivialized.

As the discussion unfolds, it is crucial for the National Trust and other heritage organizations to engage with diverse perspectives and seek a balanced portrayal of historical symbols. By fostering an inclusive dialogue, we can develop a deeper understanding of our past while respecting the beliefs and values of all communities involved.

FAQ:
Q: Is the Cerne Abbas Giant a symbol of British history?
A: Yes, the Cerne Abbas Giant is seen as a symbol of British history due to its ancient origins and cultural significance.

Q: Why did the National Trust’s video on the giant receive criticism?
A: The National Trust’s video received criticism for its lack of sensitivity and failure to address the complex cultural implications associated with the Cerne Abbas Giant.

Q: What are the different interpretations of the giant?
A: The giant is seen some as an archaeological curiosity, while others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship.

Q: What can we learn from the controversy surrounding the giant?
A: The controversy highlights the need for historical sites to be presented in a balanced and inclusive manner, respecting the diverse perspectives and cultural sensitivities involved.

The giant is interpreted as an archaeological curiosity, a fertility symbol, and a representation of pagan worship.

Title:

Content: Categories
News

The Cerne Abbas Giant: A Controversial Symbol of British History

The Cerne Abbas Giant, an ancient hill figure carved into the chalky slopes of Dorset, has become the subject of scrutiny and debate. The National Trust, responsible for managing the site, recently released a video aiming to educate visitors about the origins and significance of the giant. However, the portrayal of the figure has sparked controversy and divided opinions.

(Original Fact: The National Trust released a video about the Cerne Abbas Giant.)

The video, intended to be an informative guide, showcases the impressive size and unique features of the giant. However, critics argue that it lacks sensitivity and fails to address the cultural implications of the figure. They believe that the National Trust should have been more cautious in their depiction, considering the giant’s historic and sometimes contentious role.

While some view the giant simply as an archaeological curiosity, others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship. Its explicit nature and exaggerated attributes have led to debates about its appropriateness as a symbol of British history. By overlooking the multi-faceted nature of the giant, the National Trust inadvertently disregarded its complex significance to various communities.

(Original Quote: “It seems the National Trust have failed to recognize the potential nuance and controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant.”)

The controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant raises important questions about how historical sites should be presented to the public. It reminds us that heritage is often intertwined with conflicting narratives and cultural sensitivities that should not be dismissed or trivialized.

As the discussion unfolds, it is crucial for the National Trust and other heritage organizations to engage with diverse perspectives and seek a balanced portrayal of historical symbols. By fostering an inclusive dialogue, we can develop a deeper understanding of our past while respecting the beliefs and values of all communities involved.

FAQ:
Q: Is the Cerne Abbas Giant a symbol of British history?
A: Yes, the Cerne Abbas Giant is seen as a symbol of British history due to its ancient origins and cultural significance.

Q: Why did the National Trust’s video on the giant receive criticism?
A: The National Trust’s video received criticism for its lack of sensitivity and failure to address the complex cultural implications associated with the Cerne Abbas Giant.

Q: What are the different interpretations of the giant?
A: The giant is seen some as an archaeological curiosity, while others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship.

Q: What can we learn from the controversy surrounding the giant?
A: The controversy highlights the need for historical sites to be presented in a balanced and inclusive manner, respecting the diverse perspectives and cultural sensitivities involved.

The Cerne Abbas Giant controversy highlights the need for balanced and inclusive presentation of historical sites.

Title:

Content: Categories
News

The Cerne Abbas Giant: A Controversial Symbol of British History

The Cerne Abbas Giant, an ancient hill figure carved into the chalky slopes of Dorset, has become the subject of scrutiny and debate. The National Trust, responsible for managing the site, recently released a video aiming to educate visitors about the origins and significance of the giant. However, the portrayal of the figure has sparked controversy and divided opinions.

(Original Fact: The National Trust released a video about the Cerne Abbas Giant.)

The video, intended to be an informative guide, showcases the impressive size and unique features of the giant. However, critics argue that it lacks sensitivity and fails to address the cultural implications of the figure. They believe that the National Trust should have been more cautious in their depiction, considering the giant’s historic and sometimes contentious role.

While some view the giant simply as an archaeological curiosity, others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship. Its explicit nature and exaggerated attributes have led to debates about its appropriateness as a symbol of British history. By overlooking the multi-faceted nature of the giant, the National Trust inadvertently disregarded its complex significance to various communities.

(Original Quote: “It seems the National Trust have failed to recognize the potential nuance and controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant.”)

The controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant raises important questions about how historical sites should be presented to the public. It reminds us that heritage is often intertwined with conflicting narratives and cultural sensitivities that should not be dismissed or trivialized.

As the discussion unfolds, it is crucial for the National Trust and other heritage organizations to engage with diverse perspectives and seek a balanced portrayal of historical symbols. By fostering an inclusive dialogue, we can develop a deeper understanding of our past while respecting the beliefs and values of all communities involved.

FAQ:
Q: Is the Cerne Abbas Giant a symbol of British history?
A: Yes, the Cerne Abbas Giant is seen as a symbol of British history due to its ancient origins and cultural significance.

Q: Why did the National Trust’s video on the giant receive criticism?
A: The National Trust’s video received criticism for its lack of sensitivity and failure to address the complex cultural implications associated with the Cerne Abbas Giant.

Q: What are the different interpretations of the giant?
A: The giant is seen some as an archaeological curiosity, while others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship.

Q: What can we learn from the controversy surrounding the giant?
A: The controversy highlights the need for historical sites to be presented in a balanced and inclusive manner, respecting the diverse perspectives and cultural sensitivities involved.

The National Trust should have been more cautious in depicting the giant due to its contentious history.

Title:

Content: Categories
News

The Cerne Abbas Giant: A Controversial Symbol of British History

The Cerne Abbas Giant, an ancient hill figure carved into the chalky slopes of Dorset, has become the subject of scrutiny and debate. The National Trust, responsible for managing the site, recently released a video aiming to educate visitors about the origins and significance of the giant. However, the portrayal of the figure has sparked controversy and divided opinions.

(Original Fact: The National Trust released a video about the Cerne Abbas Giant.)

The video, intended to be an informative guide, showcases the impressive size and unique features of the giant. However, critics argue that it lacks sensitivity and fails to address the cultural implications of the figure. They believe that the National Trust should have been more cautious in their depiction, considering the giant’s historic and sometimes contentious role.

While some view the giant simply as an archaeological curiosity, others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship. Its explicit nature and exaggerated attributes have led to debates about its appropriateness as a symbol of British history. By overlooking the multi-faceted nature of the giant, the National Trust inadvertently disregarded its complex significance to various communities.

(Original Quote: “It seems the National Trust have failed to recognize the potential nuance and controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant.”)

The controversy surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant raises important questions about how historical sites should be presented to the public. It reminds us that heritage is often intertwined with conflicting narratives and cultural sensitivities that should not be dismissed or trivialized.

As the discussion unfolds, it is crucial for the National Trust and other heritage organizations to engage with diverse perspectives and seek a balanced portrayal of historical symbols. By fostering an inclusive dialogue, we can develop a deeper understanding of our past while respecting the beliefs and values of all communities involved.

FAQ:
Q: Is the Cerne Abbas Giant a symbol of British history?
A: Yes, the Cerne Abbas Giant is seen as a symbol of British history due to its ancient origins and cultural significance.

Q: Why did the National Trust’s video on the giant receive criticism?
A: The National Trust’s video received criticism for its lack of sensitivity and failure to address the complex cultural implications associated with the Cerne Abbas Giant.

Q: What are the different interpretations of the giant?
A: The giant is seen some as an archaeological curiosity, while others associate it with fertility rituals and pagan worship.

Q: What can we learn from the controversy surrounding the giant?
A: The controversy highlights the need for historical sites to be presented in a balanced and inclusive manner, respecting the diverse perspectives and cultural sensitivities involved.