Guardian: Parthenon marbles must be returned to Greece

Following articles published by the London Times, another influential British publication, the Guardian, is raising the issue of reuniting the Parthenon sculptures, taking a stance in favor of their return to Greece.

After the London “Times” and associated with the publication articles The British Guardian also raises the issue of reuniting the Parthenon sculptures, taking a position in favor of the return, and even in such a short time after the relevant articles.

In an article by journalist Charlotte Higgins, published on February 5, she says: “The Parthenon sculptures belong to Greece – then why is it so difficult to accept reunification?”

With this question, the author goes on to clarify that this is a matter for which responsibility passes from one to another. As Higgins characteristically noted, the British government claims that reunification is not up to them, but to the administrators of the British Museum. But the administrators of the British Museum – in addition to having no “will” to return them – argue that there is a British Museum Act 1963 that binds them.

In particular, the law provides that in order for any exhibit to be removed from the British Museum, it must either be damaged, or be a copy, or an exhibit looted or forcibly acquired during the Holocaust. At the same time, the administrators argue that it is also impossible to borrow sculptures, under the responsibility of the Greeks themselves, who do not recognize the ownership of the British Museum.

The Guardian journalist in a related article even characterizes the Duven Museum Gallery, where the 75-meter frieze and some sculptures of the Parthenon pediments are located, “somewhat gloomy and depressing, compared to the fantastic spectacle that is presented in the Acropolis Museum.”

Finally, referring to the philhellene Boris Johnsonwho wrote in his student years in support of reunification and later declared that “I am not so philhellenic as to give away the Parthenon marbles”, the author concludes that Westminster* does not seem to separate itself from the British imperial past, which may be a factor which really hinders reunification.

Source: Deutsche Welle

*Westminster is the name of the area where the British government is located.

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