US Reps Call on the UK to Return Parthenon Marbles to Greece

US Representatives of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues sent a letter calling on the UK to return to the negotiation table in discussions about returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.

The recipient of the letter is British PM Rishi Sunak who canceled a meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis in late November over the Marbles.

The lawmakers expressed their sadness at the latest news of the deteriorating negotiations between Greece and the United Kingdom regarding the return of the Parthenon Sculptures.

They noted, “Today we write to you as members of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, urging British officials to return to earnest discussions with Greece over the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures.”

The return of the Parthenon Marbles “would be lauded worldwide”

The letter says “The return to their historic and natural setting would be lauded and celebrated worldwide, and we call for the resumption of robust negotiations to that end. The Parthenon is considered the high-water mark of world architecture, and its sculptures and reliefs certainly constitute the paramount point of classical art.”

Congressmen Gus M. Bilirakis and Chris Pappas who serve as Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus signed the letter together with lawmakers Frank Pallone, Jr., Dina Titus, Barbara Lee, Nicole Malliotakis, James P. McGovern, John P. Sarbanes and Grace Meng.

The letter continues: “The Sculptures from the Acropolis of Athens, Greece have been loved and appreciated in their adoptive home in the British Museum for more than two hundred years, inspiring and edifying millions of visitors.

“However, it is past time that they return home to be reunified with the rest of the sculptures from which they were ripped apart. This will allow visitors to view and appreciate them in totality as part of a greater whole in their natural and rightful environment.

“The Acropolis Museum, a state-of-the-art museum, was built for this purpose. It will also contribute to greater historical and cultural understanding of ancient Athens, Classical Greece, and the world wonder that is the Parthenon, the temple dedicated to Athena.

“In taking the initiative to return the Sculptures, you would affirm your admiration and respect for the immense legacy of ancient Greece, promote the importance and understanding of history and Western values of classical art, and further strengthen Britain’s already salutary ties with the Hellenic Republic and the Greek people,” the letter notes.