The recent address by Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni at a UN event highlights the critical importance of protecting cultural heritage. She underscored that safeguarding heritage touches upon international law, security, and justice, emphasizing the need for cooperation and dialogue in addressing issues like illegal trafficking and cultural property repatriation.
Mendoni reaffirmed Greece’s commitment to prioritizing cultural heritage protection and exemplified successful repatriation efforts, such as the return of the Fagan fragment from Italy and cultural objects to Egypt. She emphasized that the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures is vital not only for Greece but also for global cultural heritage, advocating for collaborative dialogue with the United Kingdom facilitated by UNESCO.
In her view, cultural heritage should foster dialogue and cooperation rather than division, and emphasized that returns should signal the beginning of new partnerships for joint research and cultural exchange.
