The British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles has denounced the British Museum’s plan to re-display the sculptures prominently after the museum’s renovation, rather than repatriating them to Athens. The committee labeled the move a “diplomatic blunder,” emphasizing that the timing could strain relations with Greece, a long-standing ally.

In a letter to The Times Magazine on Tuesday (May 13), the committee responded to Nicholas Callinan, the British Museum Director, who had stated in a Saturday interview that the museum does not intend to return the sculptures. Instead, Callinan proposed a “novel partnership” involving reciprocal loans between Greece and the UK.

The committee suggested that once the museum is renovated, Greece could loan other significant artifacts in exchange for the Parthenon Marbles’ return. “It is not the time to insult our friendship with Greece,” wrote committee chair Dame Janet Suzman, along with committee vice-chair Paul Cartledge, a former Professor of Greek Culture at Cambridge University, and British author Victoria Hislop, a known Philhellene.

Meanwhile, Callinan also ruled out the return of other contested artifacts, such as the Benin Bronzes, despite recent repatriations by Germany and the Netherlands. His rationale? He doesn’t want to “dismantle a collection that took three centuries to build.”

Repatriation, Not Loan
Greek international law expert Katerina Titi, a research professor at France’s CNRS and a member of UNESCO’s Scientific Committee for Threats to Cultural Heritage, expressed disappointment with the loan proposal.

“It is disheartening to see plans for a loan taking shape. I hope it doesn’t happen. In my view, the Greek government should not accept as a loan what rightfully belongs to Greece,” she told To Vima.

Titi argued that Greece should insist on the permanent repatriation of the sculptures rather than accepting a loan, emphasizing the importance of reuniting the collection without “humiliating conditions.”

An Intransigent Stance
The appointment of Dr. Tiffany Jenkins as a trustee in March is seen as further evidence of the British Museum’s inflexible stance. Jenkins is known for her opposition to repatriating contested artifacts, having published a book in 2016 titled “Keeping Their Marbles: How the Treasures of the Past Ended Up in Museums and Why They Should Stay There.”

“Jenkins is notorious for her unwavering stance against repatriation. Her appointment aligns perfectly with the recent statement by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said he has no intention of legislating for the return of the Marbles,” Titi noted.

A Museum of Controversy
“The British Museum has become the most controversial museum in the world,” Titi asserted, adding, “It is not enough for Callinan to admit that the collection is ‘controversial.’ Other countries and museums are taking steps to address the problematic provenance of their collections. The Netherlands, for instance, has been decolonizing its collections for the past five years. How much longer will the British Museum remain the last great repository of looted artifacts while its director takes pride in that?”