December 6, 2014
Marbles Reunited statement on Russia Parthenon Marbles loan
Andrew George, Chair of the Marbles Reunited campaign, has issued a statement on the recent loan of one of the Parthenon Sculptures to Russia by the British Museum.
From:
Marbles Reunited
NEWS RELEASE
Friday 5th December 2014
For immediate release
“IF WE CAN LEND TREASURERS TO HOSTILE RUSSIA THEN WE CAN LOAN PARTHENON SCULPTURES TO OUR FRIENDS IN THEIR PLACE OF ORIGIN”British Museum accused of snubbing the Greeks
The MP who chairs the British campaign for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures, Liberal Democrat Andrew George, criticised the British Museum for its decision to snub the Greek request for the return of the Sculptures and for lending them instead “to a country which has backed rebels who kill British citizens”. Andrew George chairs the British Campaign Group Marbles Reunited and has advocated the return of the Sculptures to Athens.
Mr George said, “British Museum Director, Neil MacGregor, justifies his decision by claiming that these Sculptures should be ‘shared and enjoyed by as many people…as possible”. But these Sculptures have not been ‘shared and enjoyed’ by the Greeks for over 200 years, since they were purloined in a dodgy deal by Lord Elgin during a period when Greece was occupied by the Ottomans!
“I sense that the British Museum’s grip on the Sculptures is weakening. If Britain did the decent and gracious thing, and returned the Sculptures, the Greeks have made clear that they would willingly loan many other Greek artefacts and great works to Britain so that they could be ‘shared and enjoyed by as many people…as possible’”.
He recently raised the question of their return in Parliament. He has also engaged in debate on the subject; joining Stephen Fry to succeed in a debate to persuade a large London audience that returning the Sculptures would be “a decent and gracious act”.
– ENDS –
- Andrew George MP to table Parthenon Marbles EDM : March 9, 2015
- David Cameron is asked about the return of the Parthenon Marbles : June 23, 2011
- Marbles Reunited joins the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures : November 16, 2008
- Early day motion 852 UNESCO mediation and the Marbles : March 27, 2015
- Response from IARPS to Russia Parthenon Sculpture loan : December 6, 2014
- Parthenon Marbles debate to be broadcast live at Acropolis Museum & re-shown on following day : June 8, 2012
- British Museum can loan Parthenon Marbles, just not to Greece : December 5, 2014
- The Early Day Motion that wasn’t : April 1, 2009
adrianmurdoch said,
12.06.14 at 9:41 am
Marbles Reunited have made a statement on Russia Parthenon Marbles loan http://t.co/loarCTnU7I
rogueclassicist said,
12.06.14 at 2:03 pm
#clsblgs
Marbles Reunited statement on Russia Parthenon Marbles loan
http://t.co/JhP81NGBrB http://t.co/D4gAPayna1
OpenAccessArch said,
12.07.14 at 3:49 am
Marbles Reunited statement on Russia Parthenon Marbles loan http://t.co/s239FiZeDP
#archaeology
anqatisara said,
12.07.14 at 4:31 am
RT @OpenAccessArch: Marbles Reunited statement on Russia Parthenon Marbles loan http://t.co/s239FiZeDP
#archaeology
Steve Kay said,
12.08.14 at 12:16 am
In November 2008 the New Acropolis Museum accepted the loan of a small piece of Parthenon sculpture from the Vatican, on the understanding that it is lawfully part of the Vatican Museum collection, “artifacts in the museum belong to the Pope”, and can and will be returned as and when required. The British Museum offers to negotiate on the same terms.
Kwame Opoku said,
12.09.14 at 4:21 pm
What we do not yet know is what the British Museum will be getting in return for this is surely not an act of charity. The consideration, as lawyers would say, for the act of the British Museum must be stupendous. The British Museum will surely not do an act that is condemnable from all aspects for peanuts. The reaction of majority of persons is outright disapproval. There is no comparable objectionable act in recent cultural relations. Kwame Opoku.