Foundation of the Hellenic World – Athens
(November 24th 2008)
Subject: The beginning of the dispatch of the publication “Greek Treasures around the World” to the foreign centers of power. The Worldwide committee for the return of the Parthenon marbles attended. A vote was announced and the event was presented by the journalist Eirini Nikolakopoulou. Tony Maroudas sang.
500 people participated.
The event started with the presentation of the Program’s History and it’s missions to the Centers of Hellenism around the world. Then, the President of the Program Stavros Panousopoulos, announced the first mission to the European Parliament in Brussels on December the 8th 2008, where the “Ecumenical Hellenism” Program will distribute 785 free volumes to the Members of Parliament. Afterwards, honors were given to the World Commission for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures.
The international historical information on the return of the Parthenon Sculptures is one of the objectives of the Program. For this purpose, 3,000 volumes of the project “Hellenic Treasures of the World” translated into nine languages, of which three are Chinese, Arabic and Russian, will be distributed free of charge to the centers of power all over the world.
The Beatitude Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronimos, the representative of the Prime Minister, Deputy Minister of Rural Development, Kostas Kiltidis, the representative and member of the Parliament Mrs. Maria Kollia-Tsaroucha, the President of the Democratic Revival Mr. Papathemelis Stelios and the representative of the Mayor of Athens Mr. Vafidiadis Nikolaos were some of those who honored the event.
The event was attended and commended by the Committee for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures:
DAVID HILL, Australian President of the World Association for the Reunion of the Parthenon Sculptures. EVA GREEN, Vice President of the Australian Committee. GEORGE GEORGANTIDIS, Member of the American Committee. STURE LINNER, Honorary President of the Swedish Committee. KRISTER KUMLIN, President of the Swedish Committee. ANTONIA SOFIKITTOU, President of the Italian Committee. OLIVIER VODOZ, Member of the Swiss Committee. DUSAN SIDJANSKI, President of the Swiss Committee. FABRIZZIO MICALLIZI, Member of the Swiss Committee. TEREZA VIRGINIA RIBEIRO BARBOSA, President of the Brazilian Committee, JACYNTHO LINS BRANDYO. Honorary President of the Brazilian Committee. CELINE FIGUEIREDO LAGE, Representative of the Brazilian Committee.
Also honored were the following personalities:
KATHERINE PRINCESS OF YUGOSLAVIA, was represented by her son DAVID ANDREWS. BORIS JOHNSON, Mayor of London, was represented by Doctor HOBRI ANNA. CHRIS SPIROU, Former MP and President of the Democratic Party of New Hampshire, USA. SIR MAGDI YACOUB, Professor and Heart surgeon was represented by the heart surgeon STERGIOS THEODOROPOULOS. EPHRAIMOGLOU DIMITRIOS, Managing Director of the CULTURAL THEATER CENTER OF THE “HELLENIC WORLD”. TAKIS ARAPOGLOU, Director of the National Bank of Greece, was represented by Mitrakos Vasilis, Public Relations Officer of the National Bank of Greece. MIKAELO MAROUDAS, Artist – Songwriter.
VOTE “INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE RETURN OF THE PARTHENON MARBLES”
The International Union for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures believes that now is the right time for the Greek nation to make a new, unified proposal towards Britain, to return the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece, that now are in the British Museum, so they can be exhibited at the New Acropolis Museum.
The International Union is made of member committees from 15 countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA.
The International Union wishes to continue its cooperation with the Greek Government and support its efforts for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece and congratulates the Government for the successful completion of the wonderful New Acropolis Museum. We also congratulate all those who have worked these recent years for the return of major sculptures of the Parthenon from Italy, the Vatican, Sweden and Germany.
A new PROPOSAL for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures should respect the positions of both sides.
• The issue should be dealt with without prejudices by both sides regarding the title and legal ownership of the Parthenon Sculptures.
• The Sculptures can be returned to Greece by the British Museum as a renewable loan provided that all terms of a cultural agreement are met.
• Greece should be prepared to grant appropriate works of art from Greek Museums in exchange for the sculptures as a mutual loan, so they can be exhibited at the British Museum.
The International Union for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures believes that any new proposal for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures should have the support of the Greek community and be presented in a single voice.
They signed in Athens, November 24th, 2008
On behalf of the International Union for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, David Hill
Professor of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Scientific Supervisor of the Program, Athanasios Angelopoulos
The President of the Program “Ecumenical Hellenism”, Stavros Panousopoulos
