NSW Premier Kristina Keneally is the latest Australian to call for the Parthenon Sculptures to be returned to Athens, becoming an honorary member of the Australians for the Return of the Parthenon Sculptures committee at Sydney University on Thursday.
Premier Kenneally told Neos Kosmos returning the Parthenon Sculptures was very important to her.
“Returning the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece would be an important step in preserving Greek history and culture for future generations,” she said.
“These are ancient artefacts that are incredibly important to the Greek people and like many others around the world, the NSW Government believes they should be returned to their rightful home.”
Ms Keneally joins former Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, as well as former NSW Premier Bob Carr, who have spoken in support of the sculptures’ return to Greece.
The sculptures, otherwise known as the Parthenon Marbles or Elgin Marbles, have been at the British Museum since the 1800s, when Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, removed the sculptures from the ruins of the Parthenon.
Greek governments have argued for all the sculptures to be returned to Athens since the early 1980s.