The International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures has expressed to David Cameron, the need for Britain to support the request from UNESCO for mediation on the Parthenon Sculptures issue.

From:
IARPS

A letter from the IARPS to the British Prime Minister

The Rt Hon David Cameron MP
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA

Dear Prime Minister

I am writing to draw your attention to the world wide support for the Parthenon Sculptures held in the British Museum to be returned to Greece.

There are now volunteers in 16 countries who have organised themselves into committees committed to supporting the Greek claim for the sculptures to be returned. The countries are Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. (see www.partheononinternational.org)

As you would be aware, the Director General of UNESCO Irini Bokova has written this year to your Government requesting that Britain agree to participate in a process of mediation to settle the dispute over the Parthenon Sculptures. In 2010 UNESCO introduced new mediation procedures for claims dealing with illicitly acquired cultural property and Greece has now asked UNESCO to initiate the process.

Accordingly, we urge you to accept the UNESCO invitation for Britain to participate in the proposed mediation process.

I am sure you would agree that there are strong moral arguments for Britain to accept the UNESCO mediation initiative to allow the issue of the Parthenon Sculptures to be resolved in a spirit of cooperation, good will and friendship, with both sides being able to respect each other’s sensitivities and overcoming entanglements of the past.

Yours sincerely

David Hill
Chairman
International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures
2 December 2013

From:
IARPS

PRESS RELEASE

An international organisation supporting the return to Greece of the British Museum’s collection of Parthenon Sculptures has urged Britain to agree to have the dispute mediated by UNESCO.

The Chairman of the International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, David Hill, has written to British Prime Minister David Cameron urging Britain to accept the recent offer of UNESCO to mediate the issue.

The International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures has volunteer organisations in sixteen countries that support the claim for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. (see www.parthenoninternational.org)

In 2010 UNESCO introduced new mediation procedures to handle claims for the return of illicitly acquired cultural property and Greece this year asked UNESCO to initiate the mediation process for the Parthenon sculptures. The Director General of UNESCO Irini Bokova has since written to the British Government seeking their agreement to participate in the proposed mediation.

The Parthenon Sculptures are the wonderful marble sculptures that decorated the Parthenon Temple of fifth century BC Athens. In the early 1800s, about 100 marble sculptured pieces and major fragments were stripped from the Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis and taken to England by the then British Ambassador, Lord Elgin. Greece has consistently asked for the sculptures to be returned and the new Acropolis Museum in Athens has been especially built to accommodate them, alongside the other, matching sculptures that remained in Athens. Britain has rejected Greece’s claim for the collection to be returned and has refused to participate in any meaningful discussions of negotiations.

Contact: David Hill
+612 93999902
+61412 197 375
davidhill04@optusnet.com.au