Impressions

Dear All,

In this post I would like to express some thoughts regarding last night's opening of the new musuem of Acropolis. I will summarize my thoughts as a collection of points:

• A great night for the cultural life of Athens. The museum was a strong demand of the Greek society for about 30 years. This museum at least for now, hosts our hopes that the Greek society and its authorities will appreciate and realize the importance of studying and promoting the history of the Greek Land. Its was a night of hope, of future expectations and just Great!
  
• I will say that I was not that much happy how the issue about the conflict between the Greek Goverment and the British Museum was presented. First of all, I do not like by anyway English to be declared as thiefts or barbarians due to Elgin's actions (Elgin Wiki page). Elgin's actions might be considered as illegal or against the long history of Athens and it is bit shame to accuse any British for this. I am sure that the majority of Greeks, respect the English history and recognize Britain's role for our independence (Navarino Battle). I am sure as well, that many Greeks believe that the British Democracy can extensively discuss the return of Parthenon Marbles to Athens by suggesting a mutual solution. I felt that we need these words for limiting the conflict between the British Museum and Acropolis Museum instead of presenting it as a conflict between England and Greece.
  
• Now back to the solutions. Regarding the marbles, I feel that we need to state the problem as a modern international issue that everybody hopes and aims to solve. And the solution is quite technical. It would be very interesting for instance if Greek and U.K. universities together with the directions of the British and Acropolis museums to investigate a way for merging the seperated parts and exposing them both in Athens and in UK. In technical and scientific terms, this merging is very challenging.
  
• By concluding this post, I would like to point that now is also the right time for the society of Athens to build Athens around this museum by improving the public services, by improving the quality of transpotation and the urban planning of the city.
  

I hope that I explained at last, that the existence of this museum is a need of the global society and it should not be used for enhancing the conflict (if there is any) between Greece and England. We had bad times and we have some bad times. England has its own bad times and for sure modern bad moments. Lets look forward for a better future. We need it!

I will appreciate your comments.