We will insist on the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures, emphasizes Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his message for the opening of the exhibition “Cycladic Art: The Leonard N. Stern Collection on Loan from the Hellenic Republic” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, in which no he was able to attend due to his illness with H1N1 influenza.

“Only if we see them together, in situ, in the shadow of the Acropolis, can we truly appreciate their enormous cultural significance for Western civilization. I believe both sides understand this. And I believe that both sides have the vision to see beyond the disagreements of the past and embrace a new era of cooperation that will be beneficial for everyone,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in his message.

The Prime Minister’s message:

“Good evening, I am very sorry that I could not be with you tonight at the MET, one of the greatest museums in the world.

My intention was to be there to share this extremely important moment not only for the MET and the Museum of Cycladic Art, but also for the Greek diaspora in the United States, for the Greek people, and for the cooperation between our two countries.

I am not with you as I am still battling a fever and while I am feeling better I have been advised not to travel. But I assure you that I am “with you in spirit,” even if “with you physically” proves a little more difficult.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me start by thanking Leonard Stern for putting together this great collection. Leonard, your passion and generosity made this collaboration possible.

Dear friends, as Greeks we are surrounded by History and as Greeks we are fully aware of the importance of this History. That is why such evenings matter, because as custodians of the ancient history of Greece, the preservation, protection and promotion of Greek antiquity is not only important, it is inviolable, a duty and a commitment that must never be broken.

Yes, that means that part of my mission as Prime Minister is to ensure the return of Greek antiquities to Greece. But it also means that I have a duty to ensure that in this endeavor these collections are also available to as wide an audience as possible.

Of course, this is not necessarily simple. The debate on return, repatriation, ownership and public accessibility has sometimes proved too divisive and the discussions often too controversial or unpleasant.

What we celebrate today is very different. The result of more than two years of work, we have reached an agreement that was ratified by the Greek Parliament and which changes the whole debate for the better.

This agreement marks the beginning of a 50-year partnership that recognizes the ownership of the exhibition in Greece, without recourse to the courts. And it ensures that the words “Loan of the Hellenic Republic – Ministry of Culture” are adopted as part of such an agreement for the first time internationally. But, just as importantly, it reveals a framework of new possibilities around the way we perceive antiquity.

For the first time this collection will be presented in New York, after part of it was exhibited in Greece, her homeland. Indeed, out of the 161 works on display, 15 of the most important have already been found in the last year at the Museum of Cycladic Art, in a world premiere entitled “Turning. Cycladic treasures on the return journey”.

However, a partnership is not a one-way street. Antiquities from the permanent collection of the Museum of Cycladic Art will gradually move in another direction, leaving Greece for your own shores for the first time.

The opening of this exhibition proves that promoting antiquity through partnership – between museums and between states – can really work.

Ladies and gentlemen, these antiquities provide a unique insight into Cycladic civilization – a period that began 5,000 years ago.

This is why I say to Max and his team, curator Sean Hemingway, the Museum of Cycladic Art and Lina Mendoni and her team at the Greek Ministry of Culture: thank you for making this possible.

Dear friends, this collaboration sets new standards in the wider debate about how we deal with the issue of repatriation of our antiquities.

So let me close with this thought: as we consider the future of antiquities around the world, we should always recognize that every case is different. Each has its own unique characteristics and supporting evidence base.

Since the evidentiary procedures for any legal claim surrounding cultural property are in most cases very difficult, expensive and complex, a more pragmatic approach is often the most practical approach.

Today’s partnership is the culmination of this pragmatism. This matters because others are watching and wondering what else is possible.

I am of course talking about the Parthenon Sculptures. The most emblematic, the most important exhibit of Classical Greece at its peak, which are not found in their entirety in Greece today.

For two years now, we have been in constructive discussions with the President of the British Museum about a possible new collaboration that would bring the two parts of the Sculptures together, as one, in Athens.

Let me be clear, we will insist on their reunion for many reasons, but one, in my opinion, is the most important: because only if we see them together, in situ, in the shadow of the Acropolis, can we truly appreciate the immense cultural their importance to Western civilization.

I believe both sides understand this. And I believe that both sides have the vision to see beyond past disagreements and embrace a new era of cooperation that will be beneficial to all.

Thank you very much, I wish you all a very pleasant evening.