[in English and Greek] Leading British legal experts have questioned the legality of the UK government’s decision to bar the country’s national museums from deciding independently on the repatriation of cultural objects.
The British Museum has hosted a lavish fundraiser at 2,000 pounds ($2,668) per ticket, dubbed the "Pink Ball," in the room housing the Parthenon Marbles, igniting fierce criticism and reviving long-standing debates over cultural ethics and colonial restitution. Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni condemned as 'provocative indifference'. Here follows a comment by Global Times reporter Chen Xi.
Leading academic, Gloria Bell, argues that the Vatican is not only stalling on Pope Francis’ promises of restoring the looted artifacts — but continues to falsely 'refer to everything in their collection as a ‘gift.’
High-profile figures, including the former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, have written a letter criticising what it claims is an “accelerating” campaign to return the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum to Greece.
According to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, the Greek Government and the British Museum have made substantial headway in discussions regarding the Parthenon Sculptures.
The British Museum has welcomed a new slate of trustees, including Dr. Tiffany Jenkins, an academic and author staunchly opposed to returning stolen antiquities like the Parthenon Marbles.
The desire of Pope Francis to right a wrong has led to the official return to Greece from the Vatican of three ornately carved fragments that once adorned the Parthenon.
Much ink has been spilled on the Parthenon marbles, mostly on the ethical and cultural merits of their repatriation. But what has generally not been considered are the legal merits of their return in light of contemporary international law.
A YouGov poll, commissioned by the Parthenon Project, suggests the majority of Brits would back returning the sculptures to Greece in a "cultural partnership".
Isabella Walsh, an Irish woman, has contacted embassies and consulates in Dublin and London to repatriate 10 African and Aboriginal objects that her father wanted to be returned
In 'The Parthenon Marbles Dispute', Alexander Herman examines the entire contentious history of the Parthenon marbles from their creation up to the famous restitution debate of the present day.
‘I’m a strong believer that trustees of museum collections should have autonomy over those collections, and be able to make the case whether they should retain them within the UK or loan them to other museums around the world – or indeed begin a conversation around restitution and repatriation.’
British Museum chair George Osborne (and Lord Cameron) criticise Sunak over Parthenon marbles. Osborne says the row gave the Labour Party a line of attack. Rishi Sunak opened the door to a ‘devastating line of attack’ from Labour by snubbing his Greek counterpart, PM
Tony Blair considered a “long-term loan” of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece in the hope of support for a London 2012 Olympic Games bid, bypassing the issue of ownership.
At a United Nations meeting, Turkey’s spokesperson denied that the Scottish diplomat who took them, Lord Elgin, had permission from the then-ruling Ottoman Empire. “We are not aware of any document legitimizing this purchase,” Zeynep Boz of the Turkish Culture Ministry told the UNESCO committee that oversees restitution cases.
Popular British actor and writer Stephen Fry has compared Lord Elgin’s removal of the Parthenon sculptures from Greece to Nazi Germany stealing the Arc de Triomphe during the occupation of France.
Keir Starmer reiterates support for British Museum reaching deal with Greek PM. “The mood music has completely changed,” said one source close to the negotiations.
The enduring controversy surrounding the Parthenon Sculptures, one of the world’s most prominent cultural property disputes, may see significant progress in 2025, according to The Economist’s The World Ahead 2025 report.
