To many that have campaigned for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, today's news article in Ta Nea, did not come as a surprise. But less so for those attending a function at the Greek Ambassador's residence in London on Thursday evening, and being delighted to see that Christopher Hitchens' book 'The Parthenon Marbles, A Case for the Reunification' was on the coffee table.
Congratulations Yannis Andritsopoulos, UK Correspondent for Ta Nea for your article in today's paper:'Head of British Museum held secret talks with Greek PM, officials to agree deal for Parthenon Marbles’ return'. Your weekend features have been a rollercoaster of news items supporting the reunification, and we thank you for all of them, over these last four years.
The reunification of a peerless collection of artefacts such as these sculptures deserve private talks. Urged for decades by UNESCO's ICPRCP and many more, it was and is what is needed. Cultural co-operation in the 21st century deserves diplomacy, understanding and empathy.
Gratitude also to Greek PM Mitsotakis, Foreign Minister Dendias, Culture and Sports Minister Mendoni, Ambassador HE Raptakis, and the work and dedication that Artemis Papathanassiou, legal advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has put into this specific case for over a decade. We must also remember the huge support offered to BCRPM since 1983 by many wonderful people, the Greek officials, archaeologists, classicists, journalists, not least Professor Pandermalis, the late President of the Acropolis Museum and its current Director General Professor Stampolidis. But the list of thanks also extends to many more folks from all over the globe that joined in making their voices heard.
BCRPM especially thanks Tristram Besterman for guidance over the decades (museums and their collections are complex!) and Tom Flynn. Together you had been Eleni's muses, and continued to be for BCRPM as a whole. Here's to that special day.
And when that special day may arrive, the biggest thanks and praise of all will be with the British Museum, its Chair George Osborne and its Trustees: Professor Abhijit V Banerjee, Professor Dame Mary Beard DBE, FSA, FBA, Dame Elizabeth Corley DBE, Ms Clarissa Farr, Professor Chris Gosden FBA, Ms Muriel Gray FRSE (Deputy Chair), Mr Philipp Hildebrand, Dame Vivian Hunt DBE, Lord Jonathan Marland, Sir Charlie Mayfield, Mr George Osborne CH (Chair), Mr Mark Pears CBE, Mr Grayson Perry CBE, RA, Sir Paul Ruddock FSA, Mr Alejandro Santo Domingo, Baroness (Minouche) Shafik DBE (Deputy Chair), Mr Weijian Shan, Ms Priyanka Wadhawan, Professor Sir Mark Walport FRCP, FRS, FMedSci, HonFRSE, Mr George Weston, Professor Dame Sarah Worthington DBE, QC (Hon), FBA, and the British Museum’s Director, Hartwig Fischer, not least the staff that have supported this cause on the Q.T.
To read Ta Nea, follow the link here or to read the English version, please view the document here.
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