×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Sunday
12
Apr 2026
weather symbol
Athens 17°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> Greece

George Clooney insists on returning the Parthenon Marbles: “We will keep pushing until it happens”

Actor George Clooney remains committed to the long-standing issue of returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece

Newsroom May 19 09:00

He has repeatedly expressed his determination to advocate for their repatriation, a cause he first publicly supported in 2014. In a recent interview with the newspaper “Ta Nea,” which was also shared by the Daily Mail, Clooney confidently stated, “They will return. I know it,” emphasizing that both he and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, “will continue to pressure until it happens. There is no doubt.”

His intervention comes at a sensitive time amid negotiations between the Greek government and the British Museum’s president, George Osborne, regarding the fate of the marbles, which Lord Elgin removed from the Parthenon in the early 19th century and have been exhibited at the British Museum since 1817.

Despite British law, specifically the British Museum Act of 1963, prohibiting the permanent removal of objects from its collections, Clooney remains unwavering. He stated, “There are many historical objects that should be returned to their original owners, but none are more important than the Parthenon Marbles,” in a letter to Janet Sassoon, chair of the British Committee for the Restitution of the Marbles.

Recently, Clooney reportedly spoke with his wife again, reiterating his belief that “the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to their original owner.” His statements were made in New York, where he is currently starring in the theatrical adaptation of “Good Night, and Good Luck.”

His first public stance on the issue was in February 2014 during the promotion of the film “The Monuments Men” in Berlin, which deals with the Allies’ efforts to return looted art stolen by the Nazis. At that time, Clooney declared, “The return of the Marbles to Greece is the right thing.”

His position drew criticism from then-London Mayor Boris Johnson, who sarcastically remarked that “someone should urgently return Clooney’s own marbles,” accusing him of “supporting a Nazi-like agenda for London’s cultural relics.” Clooney responded with sarcasm, calling Johnson’s comments “drunken exaggerations.”

In the same year, Amal Clooney was part of a team of legal experts who drafted a 600-page report with proposals for Greece to legally reclaim the marbles. Although these proposals were not ultimately adopted, the material was published as a book titled “Who Owns History?” which Amal described as a “cry for justice,” highlighting the documented case for the reunification of the marbles in Athens, forever.

>Related articles

Epstein case rocks Hollywood: Jay Z, Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, and the “Interesting girls of Copenhagen”

British Museum: Loans of up to 3 years are its new model for antiquities removed from other countries – What it plans to do with the Parthenon Sculptures

George Osborne: “I remain optimistic about reaching an agreement with Greece on the Parthenon Sculptures”

The British Museum’s official position states that Lord Elgin acted with the legal approval of authorities in Athens and London. Its curators argue that “the marbles offer significant benefits to the public as part of the Museum’s global collection.” The Museum also emphasizes that it has never received an official loan request from Greece, only a request for their full and permanent removal, which is contrary to current legal frameworks.

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#Archaelogical museum#British Museum#Elgin Marbles#George Clooney#Parthenon Marbles#restitution
> More Greece

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Analysis: The Strait of Hormuz, a ceasefire hanging by a thread, and what Trump and Iran want – “Shipwreck” in the negotiations in Islamabad

April 12, 2026

Fierce clash between Netanyahu and Erdogan over the US–Iran ceasefire

April 12, 2026

Elections today in Hungary: End of Orban’s long rule or a fifth term?

April 12, 2026

Magical scenes in Vrontados, Chios, as the rocket war amazed locals and tourists (video-photos)

April 12, 2026

Piraeus: Firecracker thrown at a bus by individuals riding an e-scooter – Α 15-year-old was arrested

April 12, 2026

US–Iran talks fail: “We made clear what our red lines are,” Vance says departing Islamabad

April 12, 2026

“Christ is Risen” celebrated with splendor across the country: Ieronymos’ message of hope and peace

April 12, 2026

The Holy Light has arrived at the Metochion of the Holy Sepulchre in Plaka, and from there it is being distributed throughout Greece

April 11, 2026
All News

> Greece

In reverence, the emotional deposition in Jerusalem, see photos & video

The Holy Temple of the Resurrection opened after many days due to the war between Israel and Iran

April 10, 2026

In the final stretch for the accreditation of joint master’s degrees: Aiming for their launch in the coming academic year

April 10, 2026

Schedule for Epitaph Procession today (10/4)

April 10, 2026

Perfect weather for Easter excursions, according to Tsatrafyllia’s forecast

April 10, 2026

Easter in Greece: The customs that continue in Greek tradition – From Nafpaktos to Corfu

April 10, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα