Acropolis of Athens

For decades, Britain and Greece were able to differ, largely politely, over the world's toughest cultural heritage dispute: What's the right place for some of the finest ancient Greek sculptures ever made, which have been displayed in London for more than 200 years but which Greece vocally wants back.

Claiming the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum is too serious a historical undertaking to be affected by momentary political flare-ups. 

Greece should not be drawn into Britain's domestic electoral games. On the contrary, it must insist on the direction of a logical and feasible formula that will allow the reunification of the monument. 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled Tuesday's meeting with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, after his office said the two sides had previously agreed that it should not be used as a public platform "to relitigate long, long settled matters," a reference to ownership of the Parthenon Sculptures.

In a public statement last week, the National Museum of Denmark announced that it will be keeping three sculptural fragments from the 2,500-year-old Parthenon, currently on display in its permanent collection in Copenhagen. The three fragments, consisting of two marble heads and a horse's hoof, came to Denmark between 1688 and 1835.

Greece's prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Sunday he would push for the return of the Parthenon Marbles when he meets U.K. leader Rishi Sunak in Britain this week.

The sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, were taken from the Parthenon temple at the Acropolis in Athens in the early 19th century by British diplomat Thomas Bruce, the earl of Elgin.

The British Museum hopes it can reach an agreement with Greece over the Parthenon Sculptures "that requires no one to relinquish their claims," the chairman of the institution's board of trustees said on Wednesday night, reiterating the possibility of a quid pro quo arrangement between London and Athens that would not broach the controversial matter of the sculptures' ownership.

School students, parents and teachers are planning rallies in Athens, Thessaloniki and other parts of the country on Monday to protest the government's "anti-educational" reform, as one union described the changes being planned. 

Against the backdrop of the scandal of the theft of hundreds of valuable objects from the British Museum, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni has told MPs that "the government has a strategic plan regarding the claim for the Parthenon Sculptures."

The supermoon rises behind the ancient Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounio, about 70 kilometers south of Athens, Greece on Wednesday. The cosmic curtain rose Wednesday night with the second full moon of the month. It is a supermoon because it's closer to Earth than usual, appearing especially big and bright.

Against the backdrop of the scandal of the theft of hundreds of valuable objects from the British Museum, Greece's Culture Minister Lina Mendoni stressed that the institution's argument for the non-return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece has collapsed.