“I am Greek and Wanna Go Home” is the title of a video that goes around the internet. With reference to the stolen marbles of Acropolis, music-composer and photographer Ares Kalogeropoulos created a visual appeal for the return of the priceless marbles currently in the British Museum in London. “You can steal a statue, but you can not steal my identity” the the slogan.
The Parthenon Marbles forming a part of the collection known as the Elgin Marbles are a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures (mostly by Phidias and his pupils), inscriptions and architectural members that originally were part of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens. Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1799–1803, obtained a controversial permit from the Ottoman authorities to remove pieces from the Acropolis
The purpose of this video action is the return of Greek antiquities illegally detained abroad. In the video including Pericles appears with the message “I’m Greek and I wanna go home.”
“The touching message goes around the internet and reminds us how proud we are of our culture.” (mediagate.gr)
Video:
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Ares Kalogeropoulos live in Germany.
PS To tell you the truth, when I read the title “Pericles: I am Greek and I wanna go home” I thought, it was a hint that democracy should finally return to Greece :). Pericles, an Athenian statesman, fostered democracy to such extreme that his enemie blames him for populism…
Yes, let’s give the sculptures and all the other artifacts on display back to their countries of origin and let the British museum display only exhibits from Great Britain.
Will all the European National Museums be sending back their displays of legally acquired pieces to the country of origin and where does it all stop? Hang on a minute, I suspect that someone on a huge salary in Brussels is working on this as we talk!
Simple question: Do you think the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Greece or not.
Simple question: Do you think the Athens National Archaeological Museum should return their thousands of Egyptian artifacts to Egypt?
When Egypt asks for it? Yes. Unless they were found in Greek soil, because we had some great finds here.
And could you now please answer my simple question?
Antonis, I would say yes, they should be returned to Greece.
But, I’m afraid they won’t because lately there have been several robberies at museums and I don’t think the Brits can trust the Greeks to safeguard the marbles.
But, let’s be real, these marbles are so heavy how could anyone steal them?
So, I say bring them back to Greece.
There is a problem in that the British museum is bound by statute and can not dispose of any artifact although a recent exception was made in regards the repatriation of human (aboriginal) remains to Tasmania. This act of parliament was obviously created to prevent the disposal/sale of artifacts by unscrupulous politicians/governments.
Of course, other objects from the Parthenon are distributed throughout museums in other European cities.
Beside legal matters (laws/rules can change, can’t they?): Do you think the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Greece or not?
Of course, it is not a simple yes or no question,the fact of the matter is they can not be legally returned.
They were lawfully obtained by Elgin so the question is why should they be returned, any more than all the other non national artifacts held in the museum.
Personally I don’t care where they are displayed providing they are on public display and looked after.
Thank you for the answer. I agree with your last sentence: As long as they are on public display and looked after. And also that there is no simple yes or no.
Better train the robbers so that they can pick up the stuff and bring it home.