More coverage of the free admission to the New Acropolis Museum on 18th May for International Museums Day.

From:
Greek Reporter

Acropolis Museum Celebrates International Museum Day
By Marianna Tsatsou on May 10, 2012

There will be concerts and free entrance for everyone at the Acropolis Museum to celebrate the International Museum Day and the European Night of Museums.

Friday, May 18 at 11 pm, on the second floor of the Museum, Marios Strofalis will play solo piano. His recital will be dedicated to famous Greek composers Manos Hadjidakis and Mikis Theodorakis.
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Greece’s financial crisis has hit the country’s cultural sector particularly hard – it is easier to cut funding for an archaeology site, than it is for citizens who will vote against the people who made the cuts at the next election.

I’m slightly puzzled by the event in this article though – and the results it intends to produce – they are calling for protection of Greek heritage, with banners in the room where the Parthenon Marbles are, but make no specific mention about the demands for the return of such artefacts (at least not any mentioned in the text).

Note – after this was written, the organisation contacted me to point out that they do also support the return of the Parthenon Marbles.

From:
Greek Reporter

Solidarity Placard for Greeks Inside the British Museum
By Marianna Tsatsou on April 24, 2012

For years, the British Museum has been a sort of guest room for the Parthenon Marbles. Hundreds of tourists visit the Greek sculptures, despite the fact that they are many miles away from their birthplace.

Members of the Coalition of Resistance, President of which is British former politician Tony Benn, showed their support to Greece by hanging a placard writing “Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay. Solidarity for Greece” in the Hellenic Exhibition Hall of the British Museum.
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The Metope Of The Annunciation, which was previously undergoing restoration after being removed from the Parthenon is to go on public display in the New Acropolis Museum.

From:
Greek Reporter

Metope Of The Annunciation To Be Exhibited At The Acropolis Museum
By Fani Toli on March 13, 2012

The 32nd metope of the Annunciation, that has been removed from the Parthenon temple atop the Athens Acropolis for conservation, will be exhibited at the Acropolis Museum of Athens on the 25th of March.

The 32nd metope from the southwestern side of the Parthenon, a Classical Era temple dedicated to the mythical goddess Athena, is known as the metope of the Annunciation because it was thought to resemble the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary and it is the first time that it is being exhibited at the Acropolis museum.
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The composer & artist Ares Kalogeropoulos has produced a video about the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens.

You can watch the video below, or view it on Vimeo here.

From:
Greek Reporter

Ares Kalogeropoulos’ Video on the Return of the Parthenon Marbles
By Stella Tsolakidou on March 3, 2012

Conductor and photographer Ares Kalogeropoulos launched a symbolic video aiming at bringing back to the spotlight the long awaited return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece.

Kalogeropoulos, who lives and works in Oldenburg of Northern Germany, has employed his imagination and skills to produce a 1.21 min long video showing the stolen statues from Greece being kept in the British Museum.
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One of the Australian committees for the return of the Parthenon Marbles hopes to exert pressure on the British Government to return the Parthenon Marbles.

From:
Greek Reporter

Greek Australians Will Visit London to Ask For Restitution of Parthenon Marbles
By Marianna Tsatsou on April 13, 2012 in Community, events, News

British actor Stephen Fry called on the British government for the return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece. Now the Greek Diaspora in Australia has also decided to exert pressure on English officials for the same reason.

The Greek campaigners have already planned a trip to London this year. Leaders of the campaign are going to be the Chairman of the International Organizing Committee Australia for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles Emanuel Comino, as well as renowned South African human rights lawyer George Bizos.
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Petros Alivizatos, Greece’s deputy culture minister, has met with the Finnish Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. He pointed out the importance of raising the profile of the issue again, particularly because of the focus on Greek related stories about Britain, because of the upcoming Olympics.

From:
Greek Reporter

Greek Deputy Minister of Culture Meets With Finnish Committee for Restitution of Parthenon Marbles
By Stella Tsolakidou on January 25, 2012 in news

During his formal visit to Finland, the Greek Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Petros Alivizatos, has met with the Finnish Committee for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles.

The meeting was attended by the Vice President of the Committee and Professor of the Modern Greek language at the University of Helsinki, Mrs. Mika Kajava, the Treasurer of the Committee, Mrs. Teodora Oker-Blom, the Secretary of the Committee and lawyer, Mr. Eero Heimolinna, and the YLE journalist Jari Niemelä.
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Quite aside from all the other ethical issues about purchasing ancient artefacts on the black market at bargain prices, there is also a high chance, that you might not get exactly what you thought you were paying for. Quite why people think that someone who would loot ancient sites is likely to be true to their word, in what they claim something is is another matter.

One also has to ask, how someone expected to pass off as legitimate, exact copies of works from a major museum.

From:
BBC News

3 April 2012 Last updated at 16:23
‘Ancient’ Greek statue found in sheep pen is fake

An “ancient” Greek statue found in a sheep pen north-west of Athens last week has now been deemed a fake.

At first, archaeologists at Greece’s Culture ministry thought the figure of a woman dated from the 6th century BC.
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“End to Antiquities Trafficking”, a new temporary exhibition about looting of antiquities in Greece, at Thessaloniki’s Archaeological Museum, runs until September.

From:
Greek Reporter

Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki to Host “End to Antiquities Trafficking” Exhibition
By Stella Tsolakidou on March 29, 2012

A temporary exhibition entitled “End to Antiquities Trafficking” will open in April at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. The exhibition will run until September and aims at highlighting the sensitive issue of antiquities smuggling by showcasing stolen artifacts that have been confiscated.

The exhibition will feature six sections with a total of 170 artifacts from the Museum’s collections, the 6th and 7th Ephorates of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities. Moreover, archive material from the Directorate for Protection of Cultural Heritage of the Tourism Ministry will also be on display.
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Despite the way that this was reported as hiring out ancient artefacts in many new sources, the actual story is that the cost of permits for professional filming on the Acropolis are to be reduced. The permits already exist, it is just that the cost will be less than previously.

From:
Greek Reporter

Debt-Riddled Greece Will Lease Acropolis For Commercial Exploitation
By Stella Tsolakidou on January 17, 2012

In a move bound to leave many Greeks and scholars aghast, Greece’s Ministry of Culture said on Tuesday it will open up some of the debt-stricken country’s most-cherished archaeological sites to advertising firms and other ventures.

Leasing the Parthenon through the taxation of photo and cinema shoots seems to be one of the top priorities for the Greek government, in order to raise money and tackle the debt crisis threatening the country with default.
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More coverage of Stephen Fry’s article on why he believes that the Parthenon Sculptures should be returned to Greece.

From:
Greek Reporter

Stephen Fry Supports the Return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece
By Stella Tsolakidou on December 24, 2011

Stephen Fry is known for his philhellenic ideas. His latest demonstration of those was his December 19 article, in which he asked from the British PM to return the Parthenon Marbles to their rightful owner: Greece.

Fry begins his article with the title “A moderate proposal” and introduces his idea both as a tribute to life for the also known philhellene Christopher Hitchens, who passed away one week ago, and as a supportive action towards Britain’s good friends (the Greeks) who are currently going through harsh times.
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More coverage of the photographic exhibition about the New Acropolis Museum that is currently on display in Odessa.

From:
Greek Reporter

Photo Exhibition on New Acropolis Museum Inaugurated in Odessa
By Stella Tsolakidou on March 26, 2012

A photographic exhibition on the New Acropolis Museum opened on Saturday at the Hellenic Foundation for Culture branch in Odessa, in the context of celebrations marking the anniversary of the March 25, 1821 Greek revolution against Ottoman rule.

The exhibition will include architects Bernard Tschumi’s and Michalis Fotiadis’ drafts, external views of the building and surrounding area, including the finds uncovered during construction of the new museum, as well as the interior of the museum and its displays.

The exhibition, organised in cooperation with the New Acropolis Museum, will run through April 28.

(Source: AMNA)

Greek culture minister, Pavlos Geroulanos, has met with the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles while on a visit to London.

From:
Greek Reporter

Greek Culture Minister Meets with British Committee for Restitution of Parthenon Marbles
Posted on 08 November 2011

A meeting was held among representatives of the British Committee for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles and the Greek Minister of Culture and Tourism Pavlos Geroulanos, who travelled to the United Kingdom in order to attend the London Tourism Exhibition.

The meeting’s attendees included the British Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament, Andrew George, who promotes the restitution of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
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