Acropolis Museum: “British PM failed to disrupt the ‘unity’ of the Parthenon Marbles”

"Culture is not only about antiquities and works of art but also about the relationships and behavior of people," the Museum Director said in a statement

30.11.2023 19:00

Newsroom

Acropolis Museum: “British PM failed to disrupt the ‘unity’ of the Parthenon Marbles”

A woman views examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, November 29, 2023. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

30.11.2023 19:00

Culture

Newsroom

"Culture is not only about antiquities and works of art but also about the relationships and behavior of people," the Museum Director said in a statement

The Director of the Acropolis Museum, Nikos Stampolidis, weighed in on the diplomatic storm that broke out between Greece and the UK last week over the Parthenon Marbles, following UK PM Rishi Sunak’s cancellation of a scheduled meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis in London, issuing a poignant statement.

“Culture is not only about antiquities and works of art but also about the relationships and behavior of people,” Stampolidis noted, adding that the British PM failed to disrupt the ‘unity’ of the Parthenon Marbles.

Furthermore, in the statement, the Director of the Acropolis Museum underscored the significance of maintaining the principles and values of the two countries’ exceptional relations and highlighted the UNESCO decision of 2021. “This decision recognizes the legitimacy and justice in the pursuit, return, and reunification of the Parthenon sculptures, emphasizing a call for the two governments to resolve the matter based on arguments, facts, and global will in the 21st century.”

Prime Minister Mitsotakis, addressing the issue domestically, during a brief talk with reporters, dismissed Sunak’s inappropriate behavior with humor: “I did nothing. Only my presence,” clearly asserting that Greece would not interfere in Britain’s internal politics.