Marbles Reunited News page 1 In July 2013 the Greek government initiated the UNESCO mediation process in the hope that this would lead to a meaningful dialogue with Britain. Following Britain’s lack of response, in October 2014 UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Restitution of Cultural Property agreed on a formal recommendation towards the UK government to accept the UNESCO mediation process and gave Britain a six month deadline to respond. As the Greek government awaits a response, and following meetings with Mrs Clooney, Mr Robertson and Mr Hill, the Greek Minister of Culture has issued a statement explaining that they are not considering the litigation route at present as they are interested in the developments surrounding their mediation request and intend to exhaust all possibilities offered by the UNESCO mediation process. Mrs Clooney and Mr Robertson have assumed an advisory role and will continue to support the Greek government in their efforts for reunification. In February of this year George Clooney made a statement supporting the return of the Parthenon Sculptures. At the time no one could have foreseen that almost a year later, his name would be involved in one of the most significant developments relating to the campaign for reunification. A few days after marrying the famous actor, human rights activist and lawyer, Amal Clooney, visited Greece along with Geoffrey Robertson QC and David Hill (IARPS Chairman) in order to advise the Greek government on a potential litigation strategy, carefully developed by Norman Palmer and Geoffrey Robertson, to reclaim the sculptures. Mrs Clooney’s visit attracted the interest of the media around the world and the attention has brought global focus to the issue of reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures. During a press conference at the Acropolis Museum Mrs Clooney explained that Greece was justified in wanting the Parthenon Sculptures back, a fact which the British Museum should accept. Amal Clooney meets with Greek Prime Minister to advise him on options regarding reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures Two hundred years after they were taken to the UK under circumstances that have placed the Marbles on the list of Time’s top 10 plundered artefacts the Greek government has a just cause and I think it is time that the British Museum recognize this and return the Marbles to Greece. Marbles Reunited News No. 12 Winter 2015 Newsletter of the Marbles Reunited Campaign Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras welcoming Mrs Amal Clooney. IAPRS Chairman, Mr David Hill, also attended the meeting (middle). Photo from parapolitika.gr From left to right: Mr David Hill, Mrs Amal Clooney and MR Geoffrey Robertson QC during their visit in Athens. Photo from thetoc.gr
Transcript
Marbles Reunited News page 1
In July 2013 the Greek government initiated the UNESCO mediation process in the hope that this would lead to a meaningful dialogue with Britain. Following Britain’s lack of response, in October 2014 UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Restitution of Cultural Property agreed on a formal recommendation towards the UK government to accept the UNESCO mediation process and gave Britain a six month deadline to respond. As the Greek government awaits a response, and following meetings with Mrs Clooney, Mr Robertson and Mr Hill, the Greek Minister of Culture has issued a statement explaining that they are not considering the litigation route at present as they are interested in the developments surrounding their mediation request and intend to exhaust all possibilities off ered by the UNESCO mediation process.
Mrs Clooney and Mr Robertson have assumed an advisory role and will continue to support the Greek government in their eff orts for reunifi cation.
In February of this year George Clooney made a statement supporting the return of the Parthenon Sculptures. At the time no one could have foreseen that almost a year later, his name would be involved in one of the most signifi cant developments relating to the campaign for reunifi cation. A few days after marrying the famous actor, human rights activist and lawyer, Amal Clooney, visited Greece along with Geoff rey Robertson QC and David Hill (IARPS Chairman) in order to advise the Greek government on a potential litigation strategy, carefully developed by Norman Palmer and Geoff rey Robertson, to reclaim the sculptures. Mrs Clooney’s visit attracted the interest of the media around the world and the attention has brought global focus to the issue of reunifi cation of the Parthenon Sculptures.
During a press conference at the Acropolis Museum Mrs Clooney explained that Greece was justifi ed in wanting the Parthenon Sculptures back, a fact which the British Museum should accept.
Amal Clooney meets with Greek Prime Minister
to advise him on options regarding reunifi cation of the Parthenon Sculptures
Two hundred years after they were taken to the UK under circumstances that have placed the Marbles on the list of Time’s top 10 plundered artefacts the Greek government has a just cause and I think it is time that the British Museum recognize this and return the Marbles to Greece.
MarblesReunited
News No. 12 Winter 2015
Newsletter of theMarbles Reunited Campaign
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras welcoming Mrs Amal Clooney. IAPRS Chairman, Mr David Hill, also attended the meeting (middle). Photo from parapolitika.gr
From left to right: Mr David Hill, Mrs Amal Clooney and MR Geoff rey Robertson QC during their visit in Athens.
Ph
oto from th
etoc.gr
Marbles Reunited News page 2
Return Restore Restart
Marianna V. Vardinoyannis is a Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and she has been an unceasing advocate and campaigner for the rights of children and the family. She is founder and president of the �Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Foundation�. Mrs Vardinoyiannis recently set up a new campaign for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece. Below she answers some questions about the campaign.
How did the Return Restore Restart campaign come about?
The issue of the Reunifi cation of the Parthenon Sculptures has always been the focus of my interest, and I always felt the need to do the best possible in order to contribute to this cause. My friendship with Melina Mercouri, and the power, enthusiasm and faith she put in the struggle for the return of the Sculptures was an inspiration to me and a further motivation as I had promised her that I would continue her eff orts. Through my work at UNESCO and my foundation’s activities I worked for many years, and we decided to launch this campaign in order to synchronize our eff orts with the committees and to contribute to the sensitization of the public opinion.
What does the campaign stand for and what does it aim to achieve?
The campaign Return, Restore, Restart is a new initiative that aims at raising awareness and mobilizing major cultural institutions, such as UNESCO, on the issue of the return of the Parthenon Sculptures as a matter of world cultural heritage. Our campaign is trying to highlight the importance of the return of the Sculptures to their natural environment, at the place that were created 2500 years ago (Return Parthenon Marbles), their reunifi cation in their original form (Restore unity), and the next day, that we all long for, when a unique issue like the one of the Parthenon will be closed, opening a new chapter in the history of mankind (Restart history).
A new campaign by the Marianna Vardinoyiannis Foundation
What feedback did you receive after the event which took place at the Acropolis Museum on the 26th June?
The response we had regarding the launch of our campaign was very positive and encouraging. We had many celebrities next to us and many organizations involved from Greece and abroad, that they have expressed their support to our campaign, while Greek and foreign press was also very favourable.
Does the foundation have an action plan for the coming months? Are any additional events being planned?
Our steps will be carefully developed according to the needs. Our main step, however, is our collaboration with UNESCO and we are very pleased that after my intervention to the Director General of UNESCO, Mrs Irina Bokova, in June 2014 we had very positive reactions from many members-States of the Intergovernmental Committee, regarding UNESCO’ s mediation. At the same time we try to inform and mobilize international personalities on the issue of the return and reunifi cation of the Sculptures. Currently we are preparing a meeting with representa-tives of all the committees from across the world who are fi ghting for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures, which will be held at the Acropolis Museum on January 21st 2015.
How can other international campaigns help with your eff orts?
The more people and organizations believe that it is highly important to protect the world’s cultural heritage and historical cultural symbols of every nation should be returned to the place of their birth and spread this message, the stronger our eff orts will be. It is very important to join our forces and send this message to every direction that the Parthenon Sculptures have name and identity, history and homeland, memory and voice, and that we will try to make this voice even stronger! Taking this opportunity I would like to express my warmest thanks for the great contribution of “Marbles Reunited” Campaign to the issue of the Parthenon Sculptures, your great work, your creativity and above all your respect to the ideals of ancient Greek civilization and to the value of this ecumenical masterpiece, our Parthenon.
Additional information on the Marianna V Vardinoyiannis Foundation can be found on their offi cial website:http://www.mvvfoundation.gr/en/
Guest speakers at the internati onal meeti ng which took place on the 26th June at the Acropolis Museum
Marbles Reunited News page 3
The sad truth is that in the British Museum, the Parthenon sculptures are not expe-rienced at their best. For one thing, they’re shown in a grey, neoclassical hall whose stone walls don’t contrast enough with these stone artworks – it is a deathly space that mutes the greatest Greek art instead of illuminating it. Jonathan Jones - Journalist, Art Critic
Promakhos celebrity screening in London
followed by special fi lm festival screenings and a gala premiere at the Acropolis Museum
A celebrity screening of the fi lm Promakhos took place at the Soho Hotel in London on July 15th. The event, partly sponsored by Marbles Reunited, was well at-tended by a number of UK fi lm distributors. Actor and reunifi cation supporter Stephen Fry was one of the celebrity guests who attended. After the screening, Mr Fry gave a speech during which he warmly sup-ported the fi lm. During his speech he mentioned that:
Since the screening in July, Promakhos was shown at the closing night of the Australian Greek Film Fes-tival in Melbourne, it was also featured at the 55th Thessaloniki International Film Festival in Greece. A special screening was organised at the Acropo-lis Museum, followed by a gala which was attended by many high offi cials of the Greek government. The fi lm was released in Greece on November 27th and it is expected to be released in the UK early next year.
Whatever the debt Greece had to Europe, it is nothing compared to the debt that Europe has to Greece as the cradle of philosophy and art, and this fi lm more than any I have ever seen gets that across ... Its a magnifi cent and extraordinary piece of work, you are really to be congratulated.
Andrew George MP and Chair of Marbles Reunited is-sued a press release criticising the British Museum’s decision to snub the Greek request for the return of the Sculptures and instead lend them to Russia. This deci-sion was justifi ed by claiming the Sculptures should be ‘shared and enjoyed’ by as many people as possible, though as Mr George pointed out they have not been ‘shared and enjoyed’ by the Greeks for over 200 years.
Mr George recently raised the question of their return in Parliament and engaged in debate on the subject.
Andrew George MP issues press release
criticising the British Museum loan of one of the Parthenon sculptures to Russiacriticising the British Museum loan of one of the Parthenon sculptures to Russia
During this meeting, a resolution (Resolution 18GA 2014/40) was passed:
ICOMOS passes resolution to support
to support UNESCO mediation for the Parthenon Marbles
ICOMOS, the International Council on Monuments & Sites recently held their 18th General assembly in Flor-ence, Italy.
To support the mediation process proposed by Greece for the Reunifi cation of the Parthenon Marbles on the basis of UNESCO’s 2010 mediation and to encourage both parties (Greece and United Kingdom) to open a fruitful dialogue aiming at a mutually acceptable solution.
Left to Right: Rea Hajifanis (Vice Chair of Marbles Reu-nited), Coerte Voorhees, Andrew George MP (Chair of Marbles Reunited) and John Voorhees
Coerte Voorhees and Stephen Fry at the post screening Coerte Voorhees and Stephen Fry at the post screening Q&A session
to support UNESCO mediation for the Parthenon Marbles
Although some might delude themselves on this matter, the fact is that parading stolen booty in the otherwise excellent British museum brings shame on this country. Surely the United Kingdom now needs to engage constructively and graciously recognise that the Parthenon sculptures should return to Athens.recognise that the Parthenon sculptures should
I love this quote from the late Jules Dassin, fi lm director and husband of Melina Mercouri, doyenne of this movement: “I cherish the belief that the day will come when a rising sun lights the Prime Minister’s offi ce at 10, Downing St. and he declares that it is time to right a grievous wrong; that the half of the sculptures torn away from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin be restored to its entity and context. It is a matter of honour, a matter of conscience and it is a cultural imperative.”
Dassin must have said this towards the end of the 20th century and sadly, he died before seeing a completed New Acropolis Museum. I can’t think of fi ner sentiments and believe that the only way of resolving the impasse is with honour, decency and understanding by Britain. Unfortunately this is getting us nowhere.
This year, fl edgling director brothers Coerte and John Voorhees will release their fi lm Promakhos, a story of two young lawyers who challenge the British Museum on the legality of the acquisition of the Elgin Marbles. It is a real David vs Goliath battle set against a backdrop of the Athens austerity riots of a few years back and well worth a watch but it signifi es a change of tactic, from diplomacy to courtroom.
I will remain disappointed, even incredulous if it ever comes down to this. Can Britain, with all the culture that it has of its own, be prepared to risk so much of its fi ne moral reputation holding on to something it knows it shouldn’t have and the majority of its people wants to give back?
Written by Angelos Economou
Contact
Marbles Reunited
Contact
Committee
And to fi ll out the page
Friends of the Briti sh Committ ee for the Reunifi cati on of the Parthenon Marbles.
Interactive voting on reunifi cation
via new installation at Athens international airportvia new installation at Athens international airport
A new application has been developed and installed on interactive voting screens at Athens International Airport which will allow travellers to vote whether they are in fa-vour of reunifi cation or not.
Travellers will be able to use a touch screen to combine piec-es of the West Metope of the Parthenon and add the sixth (missing) Caryatid in her place amongst the other Caryatids.
It is hoped that this innova-tive interactive form of voting
will inspire more people to acquaint themselves with the issue of reunifi cation.
In June, elections were held for the fi ve posts on the executive board of the International As-sociation for the Reunifi cation of the Parthenon Sculptures (IARPS).
The following were all re-elected to their post unanimously, by the committees who responded to the election.
Chair: David Hill (Australian)Vice Chair: Anna Marangou (Cyprus)Vice Chair: Dusan Sidjanski (Switzerland)Secretary: Dennis Menos (USA)Treasurer: Matthew Taylor (Marbles Reunited)
The International Association is an umbrella or-ganisation, comprising seventeen organisations in sixteen countries, all of whose sole aim is the reunifi cation of the Parthenon Sculptures. Mar-bles Reunited is a proud member of this Associa-tion.
Executive board elections
for the International Association for the Reunifi cation of the Parthenon Sculptures
