The Parthenon, the temple of Athena Parthenos on the Athenian Acropolis, is the symbol of Greek civilization. As a building, it reflects the perfection of the Classical Greek Golden Age, in the 5th century BC. For over two thousand years, the Parthenon remained proudly defiant of the passage of time, the wrath of nature, and the endless wars and conquerors of Greece.

And then came Lord Elgin. At a time when Greece was without freedom and without the power to defend her heritage, Lord Elgin, then British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, decided to enrich his private collection with sculptures from the Parthenon. Exploiting his position, he obtained a permit to “study” the sculptures of the Acropolis. Ten years later, he had plundered the masterpieces of the Parthenon and stripped the monument bear of its sculptures, causing in the process irreparable damage.

When the Parthenon Marbles arrived in England, Elgin was accused by the British Parliament of being an illicit antiquities dealer and forced to sell the Marbles to the British Museum. The Parthenon, in contrast, has since that time remained denuded and truncated, its wounds gaping open.

Today, in an age conscious of the need for the return of stolen antiquities and in a society that prides itself of justice and morality, the voices urging the British Government to consent to the restitution of the Marbles are growing stronger and stronger. In several countries, including Britain, Australia, the U.S.A., and Canada, the strong public support of the cause is expressed in the creation of national Committees. Major international organizations, such as UNESCO and the European Parliament, have formally supported Greece’s request for the return of the Marbles to the country of their birth.

The American Committee is composed of Americans believing in the restitution of expatriated art treasures. Please join us as we fight for a just and fair cause. The United States of America, perhaps more than any other country, has a long tradition of standing up for the ideals of justice, peace, and for supporting the preservation of the world’s cultural heritage.