What visitors to the British Museum think should happen to the Elgin marbles

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The Elgin marbles have been a contentious issue in both diplomacy and culture as a dispute arose over the proper place for these historical artifacts to be kept.

For many years, Athens has been requesting the comeback of valuable art pieces called the Parthenon Sculptures or historic artworks. Lord Elgin, who acted as the UK ambassador to the Ottoman empire in the early 1800s, transferred them from Greece.

On Monday, a conflict between nations arose due to allegations that Rishi Sunak had cancelled a meeting with the Greek prime minister at the last minute.

A disagreement between diplomats occurred when Mr. Mitsotakis stated in an interview before the upcoming discussions that he wants the Elgin marbles to be returned. He compared the current situation to the Mona Lisa painting being separated into two halves.

On Tuesday, there was a disagreement among the visitors of the British Museum. Some people thought that returning artifacts would be like dividing Tower Bridge, while others were worried about where it would end if we started returning artifacts.

Tourists from Greece who were in London and were looking at the sculptures told The Independent newspaper that the artworks ought to be given back.

According to Zoe, Rafaella, and Stella, who are Greek-Cypriots, the statues hold a significant value for Greek individuals.

According to Zoe, a 25-year-old from Limassol, Cyprus, returning to their place of origin holds significant value for Greek individuals. It is an essential part of their cultural heritage, and thus, they ought to visit it. In Zoe's words, "It's our history."

Her pal, Rafaella, who is also 25, chimed in: "I fully maintain that they should be taken back. It's an integral element of Greek traditions and as a result ought to be kept within Greece. While I understand that some individuals want them to remain here, I personally believe they should be repatriated."

Stella, who is of Greek-Cypriot descent, expressed surprise over the British prime minister's sudden cancellation. She noted that Chancellor Sunak called off the meeting without any prior notice, which made her wonder whether it was an intentional move. Stella also mentioned that the decision was made hastily and at the eleventh hour.

Meanwhile, Jullianne Jollie, a 58-year-old resident of Wirral, has altered her viewpoint on the ideal location for the statues.

Julliane Jolie expressed her worries about the potential establishment of a pattern if the marbles were to be returned.

The retired education publisher said to The Independent that he has changed his mind about the matter. He used to believe that they should definitely return, but as time has passed, he now thinks that they should not.

If you had asked me 18 months ago, I would have agreed. However, at what point does it come to a halt?

A museum is created to keep things safe for the coming generations. I am uncertain about the opinion of the Greeks regarding this, but I believe it's a positive thing to have some aspects of Greek culture showcased in London. Travelling all the way to Greece is not possible for everyone, so this offers a chance to appreciate their culture.

According to John Ransom, it is illogical for the leaders of the statues to stay in Athens.

John Ransom, a resident of Edgware in London who is 70 years old, also holds varying views regarding the ongoing discussion.

He expressed that there is a moral obligation to return the items, however, doing so could establish a pattern for other countries to demand their own belongings back. The speaker also acknowledged that the museum would not exist without the presence of these items.

The British tend to take or purchase items at an improper cost, which is regrettably part of their custom.

"It's important to question this and it's only fair to do so. The sculptures displayed there are incomplete as their heads have been taken to Athens. Does that really make any sense?"

"What if they arrived and began to take away Tower Bridge? It would be unacceptable for us if our cultural legacy was snatched away."

According to Ersin Kurnaz, he had to travel all the way from Athens to London just to catch a glimpse of the remaining portion of the Parthenon.

Ersin Kurnaz, who is 40 years old and visited the museum, thinks that the statues are not comfortable being in London.

He stated that he had recently traveled to Athens and had the opportunity to witness the Parthenon. He found it strange to observe only half of it in Athens while the other half is somewhere else.

I come from Turkey but I now reside in Germany. I believe that regardless of where I live, my roots will always be in Turkey. When I visit Turkey, I experience a particular sense of comfort and belonging that I don't feel anywhere else. I imagine that the sculptures might feel the same way.

Maria Paloma de Alvarado, a historian of Greek art, was also appreciating the sculptures on Tuesday and remarked that the discussion surrounding them was intricate.

According to Maria Paloma de Alvarado, had Lord Elgin not purchased the statues, their destiny would have been more unfortunate.

In my opinion, it is appropriate to give them back. Even though they may have obtained it through legal means, it is an integral part of Greece's cultural and national heritage.

There is a debate happening about the fact that if Lord Elgin had not acquired all of it, it would likely have vanished.

The ex-chancellor and current chairperson of the British Museum, George Osborne, has expressed interest in finding options for showcasing the Elgin marbles in Greece. It is rumored that this may involve an arrangement for lending a portion of the collection to Athens.

However, during the start of the week, the prime minister's spokesperson emphasized that Mr. Sunak is in favor of the current law that prohibits the marbles from being returned permanently. The spokesperson also indicated that Mr. Sunak is unlikely to support the idea of a loan agreement.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the prime minister of Greece, expressed his disappointment regarding the sudden cancellation of his planned meeting with Mr. Sunak by the latter.

On X, which was previously known as Twitter, he published a message expressing that those who have absolute confidence in the rightness and fairness of their beliefs are not afraid of counter arguments.