“I have seen that the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom has previously come out openly in favor of returning the Parthenon Marbles — let’s see how consistent he is, whether he will honor that commitment. In any case, know that I intend to raise the issue with him as soon as I meet him,” said Kyriakos Mitsotakis shortly after Andy Burnham succeeded Keir Starmer as leader of the United Kingdom. Mr. Burnham distanced himself from his earlier statements in recent days, taking refuge in the letter of the law and saying that “it is a matter for the British Museum.”
Read also: Exclusive: Amal Alamuddin-Clooney’s closed-door meeting in Athens and the dinner with Mareva Mitsotakis as keynote speaker, against the backdrop of the Parthenon Marbles’ return
Parthenon Marbles: the British Museum renovation opens a window of opportunity
The complex and difficult negotiations over the return of the Marbles have intensified over the past five years, conducted primarily with the British Museum — roughly since former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne took over as its chairman. The clock is now counting down toward what appears to be an ideal confluence of circumstances, without prejudging any outcome: the major renovation of the British Museum’s west wing is expected to begin in 2027, at which point the gallery housing the Parthenon Marbles will close, among others. The year 2027 may also mark the start of the upgrade and expansion of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. For the first time, a “golden” opportunity may arise — both to transfer the Parthenon Marbles without creating a temporary gap in the gallery, and to offer, on loan, some of the National Archaeological Museum’s outstanding archaeological collections — which will be closed for an extended period — as part of an exchange for the return of the Marbles.
Amal Clooney in Greece for the Parthenon Marbles
Against this backdrop, Amal Alamuddin-Clooney arrived in Athens the evening before last. The prominent human rights lawyer had been actively involved in the issue of the Parthenon Marbles’ return several years ago. The 48-year-old British-Lebanese barrister — and wife of acclaimed American actor George Clooney — will step through the gates of the Presidential Palace today, where at noon she will meet with the President of the Republic, Konstantinos Tassoulas. As Minister of Culture in 2014, Mr. Tassoulas had commissioned the London chambers where Amal Clooney was then working — Doughty Street Chambers — to produce a legal study on the conditions for the Marbles’ return, and she had subsequently visited Greece and delivered the report. Today’s discussion will reportedly cover the legal developments of the past decade regarding the repatriation of cultural heritage.
Amal Clooney’s 2014 meeting with Konstantinos Tassoulas
In October 2014, during her first visit to Greece — in which Lina Mendoni participated as Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture — the focus fell on the potential legal avenues Greece could pursue in its efforts to reclaim the Parthenon Marbles from London. “Greece’s request is just, and the British Museum must acknowledge it,” Ms. Alamuddin said at a press conference held at the Acropolis Museum, following a guided tour of the museum. “This is a steadfast and timeless claim of our country, one that we are obliged to pursue with faith, optimism, and seriousness. Every proposal, every idea, every expression of support — especially when it comes from international figures — on this great matter is welcome,” Mr. Tassoulas said in his own remarks at the time.
The UNESCO event at the Temple of Olympian Zeus
The interest, however, extends well beyond the Presidential Palace. This afternoon at 18:30, a special UNESCO event is scheduled at the Temple of Olympian Zeus — admission by invitation only — featuring Amal Clooney, and attended by Mr. Tassoulas, Ms. Mendoni, and other prominent figures from politics, business, the arts, and beyond. The event will be followed by a dinner at the Acropolis Museum.
The initiative belongs to UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for the Protection and Promotion of Culture, Costanza Spbokou-Constantacopoulou. The well-known architect and tourism entrepreneur, Ms. Spbokou is, among other roles, co-owner and chairwoman of the Phāea hotel group and president of Endeavor Greece.
More specifically, the Temple of Olympian Zeus will host a gathering of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors, featuring a discussion between Ms. Alamuddin and Ms. Spbokou on the theme of “Artificial Intelligence and Culture,” moderated by Alasdair Ross, a prominent journalist at The Economist.
The Acropolis Museum dinner and Mareva Mitsotakis’ address
At the dinner that follows, an address will be delivered by the wife of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis. The event aims to raise funds for the UNESCO Cultural Fund, with the goal of combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property.
Last June, Ms. Grabowski participated in a Parthenon Project event at Westminster in London, where she emphasized, among other things, that “the time has come for the severed limbs to be reunited and for the integrity of the monument to be restored.” As she stressed in her remarks, “we must seize the opportunity before us and move toward a mutually beneficial agreement for the reunification of the Marbles.”
