Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of the House and to all Canadians a very important movement which was initiated by the late Melina Mercouri in 1982: the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
The marbles were removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin almost 200 years ago without the consent of the Greek people and are now housed in the British museum in London.
This is not an issue that concerns Britain and Greece. It is an issue of cultural heritage that transcends all borders. Despite the pressure from UNESCO and the European parliament the marbles still remain in London. As a member of the Commonwealth it is essential that Canada support the return of the parthenon marbles to Greece.
I will close with a quote from the late Melina Mercouri who said:
We are asking for the restitution of part of a unique monument, the particular symbol of a civilisation. And I believe that the time has come for these Marbles to come home to the blue skies of Attica, to their rightful place, where they form a structural and functional part of a unique entity.
Let us do the right thing and get those marbles back where they belong.