Opening Acropolis Museum - Reflections projected video.
With both plain and impressively opened its doors to the world the New Acropolis Museum, now providing a separate opportunity for visitors of all lengths and widths of land to enjoy the unique treasures of ancient Greek culture that are the legacy of the world.
"Greece today show respect for history," said President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, during his speech at the official inauguration of the Museum. Both Mr Papoulias and Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, and the Culture Minister Antonis Samaras, in speeches, they made specific references to the return of the marbles. Indeed Mr Samaras made a proposal to open the British Museum, stressing "we can overcome the gap that will occur in the British Museum, borrowed from Greece, interchangeable reports of great examples of Ancient Greek Art." Opening speeches were also the Director General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsoura and European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso.
High guest
Official guests, Greeks and foreigners, and warmly welcomed in front of the museum, the Culture Minister, Antonis Samaras, and the chairman of the museum, Dimitris Pantermalis.
Six minutes before eight, a faithful implementation of the protocol, went to the Museum of the President of the Republic.
With a minute difference, Mr. Papoulias welcomed the President of the Republic of Cyprus, D. Christofias and then Bulgarian counterpart, GG. Parvanof. Immediately after, went the general director of UNESCO, Mr Matsoura.
Earlier, went to the Museum, the prime minister, Kostas Karamanlis, accompanied by his wife, Natasha. The Prime Minister had a pair of warm handshake with Mr. Samara and Pantermali, who gave the position of the host to Mr Karamanlis to welcome their foreign counterparts.
Mr. Karamanlis welcomed his counterparts, Prime Minister of Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, China and the Deputy Prime Ministers of Vietnam and Finland.
Thereafter, the former presidents of the Republic, Ch. Sartzetakis K. and Stephanopoulos, the ministers and the government. A few minutes later arrived the chairman of the House, D. Sioufas.
And present members of the cabinet. The President of PASOK, G. Papandreou and Mr T. Pangalos came together at the Museum to kataftasei shortly afterwards the former Prime Minister Costas Simitis, accompanied by his wife, and the parliamentary spokesman of the Movement, Ev. Venizelos.
Among the official guests were the mayor of Athens, N. Kaklamanis, the American ambassador to Greece, Nt. Spekcharnt and other foreign ambassadors, representatives of the Church of Greece, the Apostolic Nountsios representing the Pope, and the secretary and friend of Melina Mercouri, a member of the Board Museum, Manuela Pavlidou.
"It is time to heal the wounds of the monument,"
"Today the whole world can see the most concentrated sculptures. Some are missing. It is time to heal the wounds of the monument with the return of the marbles that are" in this sentence the President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias concluded the greeting of the inauguration of the new Acropolis Museum, while sending a message to any direction on the need to return the marbles at the British Museum, the "natural" their space.
Visibly moved, Mr. Papoulias said that Greece has with the New Acropolis Museum: "It shows respect for history. And try to pay with a great work, awe and emotion that are born in every human soul, when raise the eyes and faces the Parthenon. "
"The integrity of the marbles is claiming Humanity"
"The Acropolis Museum is the work of all the Greeks, for the whole world. It is property of universal culture" said Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis in the greeting ceremony in the inauguration of the new Museum of Acropolis.
The Prime Minister made special reference to Constantine Karamanlis' inspired and launched in 1976 by the original proceedings "and Melina Mercouri, who" was from the 80s, a great impetus to the joint effort ", while he and all who" have here the inspiration, passion and work. " "They have worked for the promotion and completion of this project all the Greek governments, all ministers of Culture Metapoliteftikis Period" completed.
Mr. Karamanlis said that the new museum "a shining point" of World Culture, noted that even "The Sacred Rock of Acropolis entire world sees the format taking eternal and universal ideals. The Acropolis Museum, the world can now find that these forms, these ideals can be reunited and to recover the radiation.
And the Prime Minister has a message for the reunification of the marbles: "If the Acropolis of Pericles was a hymn to beauty, harmony and freedom, the modern Acropolis Museum, is now all ark symbolizes ideas, from ancient times the Parthenon. It is a living expression of the power of World Culture, may seek to cause, among others, and the reunification of the marbles. Why marbles speak in their entirety. Thus emerges the integrity of all those who symbolize. While the integrity of the memorials and symbolism of the Parthenon is not applied only in Greece. It claims of humanity, to which both the Parthenon and the symbolism of. "
"The dream is now a reality"
With special reference to the need for return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum and stressing that the new Acropolis Museum is "the fruit of efforts of many, many years from all the political forces in place, welcomed the Minister of Culture Mr. Antonis Samaras high guests at the inauguration ceremony.
"And those who are not here, they detached and removed before 207 years, will return. Will inevitably return. The Parthenon and its sculptures were victims of looting. The crime is today can be rectified. The Museum is the moral force behind the invite. Do reunited. The marbles marbles called the "stressed to the point of greeting reported in this issue the minister of culture and asked the British Museum in collaboration:" We can cooperate sincerely with the British Museum. We can overcome the gap that will occur borrowed from Greece interchangeable reports great examples of ancient Greek art. "
Explaining the background to the path of the Museum of the Acropolis until the inauguration, Mr. Samaras said: "The late Constantine Karamanlis was inspired the first and suggested the position in 1976. The unforgettable Melina Mercouri was in the early'80s, starting, while the international campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles. All sides of the House decided in 1994, establishing the Agency for the construction of the museum. In 2000, Costas Simitis launched last fasi.To Museum was constructed on days the current Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and now delivered to the world. All governments embraced. And the Greek people supported. The dream of so many years and so many people are now a reality. This, then, is happy day for us. And we want to share with you. "
Intermediary role in the UNESCO
A "place of great importance for humanity", characterized the new Acropolis Museum, the Director-General of UNESCO, Koisiro Matsoura in his speech just before the symbolic foundation of the Museum.
Praised the contribution of our country for the return of goods and most importantly, he said, for the strong support of the activities of the Intergovernmental Committee for the return of cultural heritage in the countries of origin or return in case of illegal acquisition.
"The committee endorsed the recommendation made jointly by Greece and the United Kingdom, requesting UNESCO to assist and convene the necessary meetings between the two countries to reach a mutually satisfactory solution to the issue of the Parthenon Marbles" Mr Matsoura and stressed that UNESCO is prepared to do so.
Audiovisual spectacle
A unique audio-visual spectacle awaits visitors of the new museum on the Acropolis during the inauguration of four, as each night via video will appear on the walls of nearby buildings which exhibits images with the help of technology "alive". The spectacle attracted visitors and bystanders, the first day of its inauguration, will run every night and the next three days, under the sacred rock of Acropolis.
In view of the inauguration of the museum include the festive clothing of the city after they have been "wear" a lot of buses, trolleys, metro trains, with performances from the frieze of the Parthenon.
In addition, advertising banners have been placed in the central avenues of the capital, and posters with stylish performances from the museum exhibits at bus stops, etc..
Four openings
Before the main official ceremony of the inauguration Saturday, three others have preceded the inauguration ceremonies.
With the established ritual of sanctification, two short speeches and a tour in almost record time, made Tuesday 17 June the first inauguration of the new Acropolis Museum, which until Saturday, June 20 celebrates the beginning of the operation, 33 years Decision of the late Constantine Karamanlis, the need for construction and five years after the start of construction in November 2004.
On the second day of the inauguration were shown around personalities from the world of Literature and the Arts and international committees for the return of the Parthenon sculptures.
The Friday night series were foreign journalists who came to Greece, invited by the Ministry of Culture.
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Speaking on NET, Culture Minister Antonis Samaras did not exclude the possibility of claiming them even in court proceedings.
The current Employment Minister Fani Palli-Petralia and former Culture Minister, said on NET 105.8, that "the inauguration of the museum begins a new day in the struggle for the return of the Parthenon sculptures.
Campaign for the return of the marbles to Athens from the British Museum, announced the president of the International Committee of Return Elgin Marbles ", David Hill.
"I think we have underestimated both the strong support that exists around the world for the return of the marbles and Britain is inconsistent with the rest of the world." Considers the chairman of the international organization for the return of the Parthenon sculptures, David Hill.
"According to a poll conducted in September, 69% of Britons believe that the marbles should be returned to Greece", notes a member of the British Committee for the return of the Parthenon sculptures, Merlin Tafrelo.
"The completion of these treasures, which are incomplete without the other marbles, asking the international organization of 16 countries has organized a new campaign for their return.
"The sculptures are part of the cultural DNA of the Greeks", claims the Nobel Prize in Literature awarded to South African writer Nantin Gkorntimer.
