 A nation shedding their blood
Greece and the UK are fellow European States
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A nation shedding their blood 
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In the early 19th century, when the Acropolis sculptures were plundered, the Greek nation was engaged in a long, bloody fight of independence against the Ottoman rule. The massacre of the Greek population left not many options - all human resources of the nation, men and women, had to fight to defend their existence. Under these tragic circumstances, it is obvious that it was impossible for the Greeks to run antiquity conservation programmes for the temples of the Acropolis. Athens, like the whole of the Greek territory, had been under Turkish command since 1453. Thus, when Elgin came to Athens for his deeds, the Greeks were well into a 400-year Ottoman occupation. In the absence of a formal Greek authority, the removal of the sculptures from the Acropolis was committed following a Turkish firman, which vaguely allowed the study of the Acropolis. No Greek consent was obtained, or sought, by Elgin to access the Acropolis and the Parthenon. He was simply an ambassador from another European country who walked into foreign land to take the cultural treasures of a nation covered in blood. |
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Greece and the UK are fellow European States
Maintaining issues of division within Europe is wrong. In European history, countries have fought, hated, and killed the people of one another. Today, most of the continent has reached a supreme level of understanding, collaboration and prosperity.
Greece and the UK are connected with friendly bonds. There is nothing more disappointing than seeing unsolved issues poisoning the relationship of these two European nations. The persistence of the British Museum on the ownership of the Greek sculptures is a major offence not only to Greece, but, culturally, to the whole world. Having such sensitive cultural issues pending is simply morally unacceptable. In a gesture of unity, provided that the Acropolis sculptures are reunited in one set in Athens, the Greek Ministry of Culture has offered to lend other Greek treasures to the UK. This is a unique opportunity for the two countries to shake hands and seal their long friendship with a truly civilised agreement in European history.
