President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine Tassoulas received on Thursday, at 12:00, British-Lebanese lawyer and human rights advocate Amal Alamuddin Clooney highlighting her significant contribution to promoting Greece’s positions on the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures.
The meeting took place in a warm and cordial atmosphere, with Alamuddin referring to their previous meeting in 2014 at the Ministry of Culture and congratulating Tassoulas on assuming his new duties as President of the Republic.
She also spoke warmly about their cooperation during that period, while Tassoulas presented her with a printed edition of the legal opinion she had drawn up 12 years ago together with two other distinguished lawyers on the claim for and repatriation of the Parthenon Sculptures. He noted that the opinion had helped mobilise and directly involve the international public in the issue.
Alamuddin also spoke about the great value of exchanging cultural treasures, making particular reference to the historic Bayeux Tapestry, which, under an intergovernmental agreement, was transferred from France and is being displayed at the British Museum for the first time in almost 1,000 years. She added that culture can contribute to peace and friendship in a world that is genuinely divided and experiencing numerous conflicts.
On his part, the President of the Republic argued that, in Greece’s case, the issue concerns the reunification of a monument rather than its return, adding that this should not be seen in terms of “ victory or defeat” for the United Kingdom, but rather as a grand gesture.
Finally, Alamuddin presented Tassoulas with her two new books, to add to his library.
In the afternoon, Alamuddin will take part in a discussion with UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Konstantza Sbokou Konstantakopoulou at the Temple of Olympian Zeus, on the theme “ Artificial Intelligence and Culture”. In the evening, she will attend a dinner at the Acropolis Museum, with proceeds from the event going towards supporting UNESCO’s Fund for Culture and the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property.
