Greek Ministry of Culture Acting Deputy General Director of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki has given an interview in China, indicating what she sees as the way forward (as it applies to both Greece & China) in securing the restitution of disputed artefacts. this is interesting, particularly int he light of the recent conference, suggesting that Greece may now be seriously considering following Italy’s lead in taking legal action to secure the return of artefacts – something that it has always tried to avoid in the past.

From:
People’s Daily (China)

Interview: Strong legal framework, int’l collaboration key in reclaiming antiquities: Greek expert
10:14, December 18, 2010

A strong legal framework and international collaboration are the main keys in efforts to reclaim antiquities with success, for Greece or China, stressed Greek expert Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki in an interview with Xinhua on Friday.

A country rich in cultural relics which due to historical and other reasons have been illegally transported abroad in many cases, Greece struggles for decades for their return back home.
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In a surprising change of mind following an earlier court decision, France has decided to return various disputed manuscripts from the Bibliotheque Nationale to South Korea.

From:
People’s Daily

France to return stolen S. Korean royal document
21:14, November 12, 2010

France pledged Friday to return South Korean royal documents looted during its invasion more than a century ago, once a source of constant diplomatic feud between the two countries.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who held 40-minute summit talks with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak on the sidelines of the G20 economic summit here, promised to lease the ancient documents and allow the five-year lease deal to be renewed.
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For some time, China has been trying to catalogue the vast numbers of looted Chinese artefacts that have ended up in museums & private collections around the world. Based on data from UNESCO, it appears that of all the Museums holding disputed artefacts, the British Museum has by far the most with twenty three thousand in its collection (only two thousand of which are part of its permanent displays).

From:
People’s Daily

British Museum holds highest number of looted Chinese relics
15:57, October 25, 2010

Data from the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) shows that a total of more than 1.6 million Chinese cultural relics looted in the past are now housed in 47 museums worldwide, and the British Museum collected the largest number of them.

Currently, it has collected a total of 23,000 Chinese relics, and about 2,000 Chinese relics are on long-term display in the museum.
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Much has been made in the past of the British Museum’s links with other countries such as China (when it suits them). This helps them to backup their Universal Museum argument, implying that through numerous cultural links it is in fact a museum of the world & not a purely British institution.

Collaboration with other countries, to create reciprocal exhibitions is not limited to the British Museum however, as evidenced by previous exhibitions in China sponsored by Greece. Indeed, the two countries have quite a bit in common, as both are trying to recover items from abroad that were looted by different Earls of Elgin.

From:
People’s Daily

Athens history exhibit opens in Shanghai
17:28, June 11, 2010

The Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism will organize a cultural archeological exhibition in the Shanghai Library from June 10 to June 20 with the title “Athens: The Living History.”

The exhibition is a Greek contribution to Expo 2010 closely related to the theme “Better City, Better Life” and the theme of the Greek Pavilion “Polis, The Living City.” It presents the ancient and modern city of Athens including the city’s architecture and urban development as well as the integration of ancient monuments into daily life.
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The city of Athens & Greece as a whole had a huge infrastructure upgrade in the run up to the 2004 Olympics. Since then though the area has continued moving forwards – something that many people are starting to notice when their attention is drawn to the country again by the publicity surrounding the New Acropolis Museum.

From:
People’s Daily, China

Greece’s positive image further enhanced and solidified following world media coverage of the new Acropolis Museum
15:06, July 06, 2009

Greece’s Culture Minister Antonis Samaras and the Secretary General of Communication of Greece’s Interior Ministry Panos Livadas presented the positive impact of the mass media coverage all over the world on Greece’s international image, in the context of the opening of the New Acropolis Museum in Athens on June 20, 2009. Speaking during a Press Conference in Athens on Monday June 29, the Greek Culture Minister A. Samaras told Media that the authorities’ target to attract attention through the international media was successfully met. Mr. Livadas presented in detail facets of the media coverage of the widely anticipated event, noting that the opening of the new Acropolis Museum has undoubtedly added value to the country’s positive image that had been already significantly upgraded after the safe and successful organization of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
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Many countries (generally most of those whose institutions weren’t involved in signing the declaration) have issues with the “Declaration on the Importance and Value of Universal Museums”, that was issued a few months ago. The declaration favours only seeing one version of history, while ignoring other verions and the original owners.

From:
People’s Daily

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 22, 2003
Foreign Museums Refuse to Return Cultural relics, Chinese Experts in Action

On 10 December, 2002, eighteen major museums and research institutes of Europe and America, including the British Museum and the Louvre Museum, jointly signed a Declaration on the Importance and Value of Universal Museums (hereinafter referred to as “Declaration”), which opposes returning art works, especially ancient ones, to their original owners.

On 10 December, 2002, eighteen major museums and research institutes of Europe and America, including the British Museum and the Louvre Museum, jointly signed a Declaration on the Importance and Value of Universal Museums (hereinafter referred to as “Declaration”), which opposes returning art works, especially ancient ones, to their original owners.
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