Italy has emerged as a key ally in Greece's campaign to reclaim the Parthenon Marbles, with Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli recently pledging support for their return during a diplomatic visit to Athens where he also announced the repatriation of 145 ancient Greek coins, building on Italy's earlier goodwill gesture of returning the Fagan Fragment in 2022.
The "Fagan Fragment," a piece of the eastern Parthenon frieze depicting the foot of goddess Peitho or Artemis, became a landmark precedent in the cultural repatriation debate when it was permanently returned to Greece in June 2022.Originally taken from Athens in the early 19th century and later acquired by the Antonino Salinas Museum in Palermo, this fragment represents the first instance of a Parthenon piece being returned from one state to another as a "deposit forever," avoiding contentious terms like loan or purchase.
The return resulted from collaboration between Sicily and Greece, with Italian officials framing it as evidence that Italy "is at the forefront of confirming in practice the principle of returning cultural property." This precedent has significant implications for the broader Parthenon Marbles debate, with even The Times of London reversing its long-standing position after the fragment's return, declaring "the sculptures belong in Athens. They should now return." Greek officials hope this case establishes a clear pathway for the British Museum's collection, with Culture Minister Lina Mendoni noting the return "clearly points towards the just way for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Athens.
Vatican's Three Parthenon Fragments
In March 2023, three significant Parthenon fragments from the Vatican Museums were returned to the Acropolis Museum in Athens, marking another important milestone in Greece's campaign for the reunification of the Parthenon sculptures. This repatriation was initiated by Pope Francis following his 2021 visit to Greece, as "a concrete sign of a sincere desire to continue on the ecumenical journey." The fragments, which had been in the Vatican's collection since the 19th century, include the head of a horse from Athena's chariot from the west pediment, the head of a youth from the northern frieze, and a bearded male head attributed to the southern metope depicting the Centauromachy.
The reunification ceremony took place in the Parthenon Gallery of the Acropolis Museum, attended by Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens, Vatican officials, and Greek cultural authorities. Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni described the Vatican's decision as "heroic," suggesting it showed "the road that could be followed for the unity of the Parthenon to be restored." This return represents the second unconditional reunification of Parthenon sculptures, following Sicily's return of the Fagan Fragment, and has intensified pressure on the British Museum to repatriate its much larger collection of Parthenon Marbles.
Italy-Greece Cultural Exchange Programs
Cultural exchange programs between Italy and Greece offer immersive experiences that highlight the shared classical heritage and contemporary challenges facing these Mediterranean nations. Programs like Carpe Diem Education's "Climate Change: Resilience & Regeneration" semester focus on how these countries maintain traditional ways of living while addressing modern environmental challenges. Students explore sustainable living communities outside Rome, trek through Tuscany, and visit Greek islands like Crete to engage with local experts on sustainability initiatives.
Academic institutions offer varied approaches to cultural immersion, from Smithsonian Student Travel's high school summer programs exploring ancient civilizations to university-sponsored courses like Oklahoma State's "Technology and Culture of Italy and Greece."These programs typically feature hands-on experiences such as Greek cooking classes, visits to archaeological sites from the Acropolis to Pompeii, and engagement with local artisans. Many emphasize the Mediterranean's UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage, particularly through food traditions that connect participants to the region's historical and cultural identity.
Italian Diplomatic Support
Italy's Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli made a significant diplomatic gesture during his June 2025 visit to Athens, where he not only announced the return of 145 ancient Greek coins originally discovered on the island of Kos between 1929 and 1930, but also explicitly voiced Italy's support for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. This pledge reinforces growing international momentum behind Greece's campaign as global public opinion continues to shift in favor of restitution.
During meetings with Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, Giuli proposed several joint cultural initiatives to strengthen ties between the two nations, including an exhibition featuring works by Greek-Italian metaphysical painters Giorgio de Chirico and Alberto Savinio alongside the antiquities that inspired them, and plans to exchange two thematically linked exhibitions: "Cycladic Women: Untold Stories" from Santorini and "Being a Woman in Pompeii." The visit culminated in the signing of a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on preserving artifacts from the Symes Collection, emphasizing what Mendoni described as their shared responsibility as "co-guardians of classical civilization—a foundation of European and global culture."
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