Greece PM Laments Lack of Progress with UK on Parthenon Sculptures

An employee views examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. (Reuters)
An employee views examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. (Reuters)
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Greece PM Laments Lack of Progress with UK on Parthenon Sculptures

An employee views examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. (Reuters)
An employee views examples of the Parthenon sculptures, sometimes referred to in the UK as the Elgin Marbles, on display at the British Museum in London, Britain, January 25, 2023. (Reuters)

Talks over a possible return of the British Museum's Parthenon Sculptures to Athens are not advancing quickly enough, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday as he prepared to meet British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this week.

Athens has long campaigned for the return of the Elgin Marbles, as they are often described. The 75 meters of Parthenon frieze, 15 metopes and 17 sculptures were removed by diplomat Lord Elgin in the early 19th century, when he was ambassador to the Ottoman Empire then ruling Greece.

"We have not made as much progress as I would like in the negotiations," Mitsotakis told BBC television on Sunday. "I'm a patient man, and we've waited for hundreds of years, and I will persist in these discussions.

"We feel that the sculptures belong to Greece and that they were essentially stolen," Mitsotakis added before playing down the ownership aspect of the discussions and focusing instead on the importance of reuniting the sculptures with those in Athens.

British officials say the works were acquired legally.

Sunak in March ruled out any change to a law that stops the British Museum handing the marbles back to Greece permanently, but the legislation does not prohibit a loan.

George Osborne, a former British finance minister who is chairman of the museum's trustees, this month expressed hope for a deal that would allow the sculptures "to be seen in Athens".

Mitsotakis is due to meet Sunak on Tuesday, a day after a meeting Keir Starmer, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, which is riding high in opinion polls ahead of an election expected in 2024.

The Financial Times last week reported that Starmer would not block a "mutually acceptable" loan deal for the sculptures.



Ministry of Culture Unveils New Typefaces Inspired by Saudi Heritage

Ministry of Culture Unveils New Typefaces Inspired by Saudi Heritage
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Ministry of Culture Unveils New Typefaces Inspired by Saudi Heritage

Ministry of Culture Unveils New Typefaces Inspired by Saudi Heritage

The Ministry of Culture announced the launch of two new typefaces, the Al-Awwal and the Saudi. Both typefaces, which celebrate the Kingdom’s culture, will be available to individuals and organizations wishing to use them in formal, design, artistic and creative works, according to SPA.
The Ministry of Culture worked to implement the Al-Awwal and the Saudi typefaces, inspired by using the distinctive artistic features of Arabic script, to preserve the characteristics of early calligraphy and inscriptions. Al-Awwal is a thoughtful reimagining of a handwriting style that takes many of its cues from the inscriptions of the first Hijri century. The Al-Awwal typeface integrates modern calligraphy techniques to closely emulate the letter forms in the early stages of development, connecting the present with the origins, foundations and early history of the region.

The Saudi typeface is partly inspired by Al-Awwal and embodies creative ingenuity whilst maintaining the aesthetic of the Kingdom’s historical heritage.
Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan said: "The launch of the Al-Awwal and Saudi typefaces is a tribute to the Kingdom's vast cultural and aesthetic heritage. Each typeface serves as a bridge between the past and the present, merging traditional elements with contemporary design principles. This harmonious blend not only honors the Kingdom’s legacy but also inspires innovation.”
The development of the two typefaces began with a historical foundation and archaeological elements, representing the ancient Arabic writings, and reflecting the style of ancient scripts. Both typeface designs are based on creative thinking and interdisciplinary integration among manuscript studies, art history, linguistics, design and digital programming. Designed to celebrate the beauty of Arabic calligraphy, these typefaces enhance aesthetic proportions and spacing between letters, words, lines, dots and diacritics.