Government of Canada to urge Parthenon Marbles
returned to Greece
The Hon. Senator Pana Merchant.
On May 27, at 5:30 p.m., Senator Pana Merchant ended debate, in the
Senate Chamber, regarding the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
Urging support for the return, Greek born Senator Merchant said,
“For the people of Greece and for the people of Greek heritage
worldwide, millions of us in Australia, South America, Chicago, Toronto,
Moose Jaw, part of our pride of self is the difference that we made,
through a contribution two and a half millennia ago, back to the time of
Solon and the beginnings of democracy, and while I am not a government
interventionist, we should urge the government of Great Britain, and the
British Museum, to return the Parthenon Marbles to the country, in which
they will be fully cherished, to the country where they speak to out
identity and link us to our history."
Quoting Melina Mercouri, Senator Merchant said, “… the time has
come, for these Marbles to come home to their rightful place, the blue
skies of Attica, where they form a structural and functional part of a
unique entity… the particular symbol of a civilization.” Urging
Justice to Greece Senator Merchant said, “Honourable Senators, as a
proud Canadian, of Greek birth and heritage, I call upon my colleagues to
support this motion, to support justice, to support democratic fairness,
and to support the nation we call Hellas.”
Directly after Senator Merchant spoke, a motion to urge the British
Government to return the Marbles to Greece before the 2004 Olympic Games
in Athens was passed by the Canadian Senate and will on the behalf of the
Government of Canada be passed on to Britain.
Senator Merchant is the first Greek born woman Senator and the
issue of the Marbles is one that is very important to her in terms of
justice. She described the Marbles as “inseparable parts of both the
Parthenon and the Greek spirit and sense of self.” The Museum of the
Acropolis is being built to house them in a special hall. Senator Merchant
is proud to belong to and represent a country that champions the causes of
cultural protection both domestically and internationally.
Senator Merchant would like to thank members of the Senate and the
House of Commons for the support and sincerely hopes that the British
Government takes heed and returns the Parthenon Marbles to their rightful
place, Greece.