PLEASE SIR ! GIVE US OUR MARBLES BACK !

To Mr. Tony Blair. Prime Minister of England.

Re The "Elgin" Marbles.

From Despina Papathemelis and Sophia Sahinidou

Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter with reference to your claim of not returning the "Elgin" Marbles back to their homeland.

We have long demanded the return of the Parthenon sculptures, which are our national heritage. They were erected to the Ancient Greek Gods, and they are a monument to Ancient Greek sculpturing skills.

In 1994 and 1996 Mark Fisher, shadow arts minister, said a Labour government would favour working out an orderly return of them. However, the culture department spokesman said recently that the government had no plans to change its current policy that the Marbles should remain in Britain. I admit that the Elgin Marbles should be positioned in a museum, but I am sure that the Greek government will devote a special area for this purpose if you decide to give them back to us.

I think that you should not have changed your mind after an important statement, even though you are in a high position. I feel very strongly on this issue, and hope that you will take my request into consideration.

Yours faithfully,

Despina Papathemelis.

PS My interest in this topic will never wear off !

Dear Sir,

Five hundred years ago the Greeks fought a war with the Turks. During the Turkish Occupation which followed the Parthenon was converted into a Mosque and used as a Gunpowder store. Not surprisingly, it blew up.

The Parthenon was built by Ictinos and Callicrates during the age of Pericles. It was made of marble, beautifully carved into figures and statues. When it was badly damaged by the explosion some of the marble stayed up, but much of it was ruined. Two hundred years ago an Englishman called Lord Elgin was interested in the Parthenon’s carvings, so he took some carvings to England. Nowadays you can see them in London. A few years ago the Greeks asked for them back. Melina Merkouri was particularly enthusiastic about this project.

Now I’m saying : Please give us our marbles back ! They belong to us. They come from Greece, from Athens. They are our ancient civilisation. They are our identity. You mustn’t keep them away. Greece is a country full of sun, rocks and ancient carvings. These are our weapons, our ancient civilisation. You mustn’t keep them and you have no reason to do so. We don’t want anything more, but only something which belongs to us. They belong to the ancient Athenians, they belong to ancient Greece, they belong to us ……

So, please sir, give us our marbles back !

Sophia Sahinidou is a sixteen year old student at the Fourth Lykeio in Katerini. She passed the Cambridge FCE exam some time ago, and spent part of her Summer Holiday at Edinburgh University on an English Course.She is an enthusiastic contributor to the English Times of Katerini, having been Editor until her studies for University entrance intervened, and has a copy of every edition since the beginning.