With the London Olympics mere weeks away, it is only fitting that the ancient origins of the international festival is brought to attention.
International organisations advocating for the ancient Parthenon Marbles have announced they will launch an international discussions on the long-awaited and much-debated reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. The three organisations from the UK, USA and Australia launched the event to coincide with the opening of the new Acropolis Museum in Athens.
The Parthenon, or the Temple of Athena, is highly regarded for its representation of the period of Greek civilisation’s between 447 to 432 BC, a period when politics, philosophy, architecture and literature was blooming in the region.
Having been the witness of many wars, being transformed into a church, then mosque, and later as a gunpowder storage, the Temple was later robbed of its intricately chiselled marble features by Lord Elgin, British Ambassador to Constantinople, in the late 18th century. The missing marbles have not been returned to its home ever since.
Titled ‘The Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles’, the international colloquy aims to encourage an open dialogue to bring the Parthenon Temple’s missing parts back home. While the main event will be held in London’s Hellenic Centre’s there are plans to record and stream the proceedings online following the event for a global audience.
As part of efforts to educate the public, those attending the two-day colloquy in June will go on a planned organised trip to the British Museum, and take part in the launch of the ‘MISSING’ global awareness campaign, aimed at generating support for the campaign online and through global events.
The colloquy will be held 19 June 2012, at the London Hellenic Centre, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. For more information visit, www.parthenonmarblesaustralia.org.au.