Why the Parthenon Marbles Fuel a 200-Year Dispute Between UK and Greece.

The centuries-old dispute over the ownership of the Parthenon Sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, between the UK and Greece has been brought back into the spotlight due to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's cancellation of a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The marbles, created by ancient Greek sculptor Phidias in the 5th Century B.C., were removed from the Acropolis by agents of the 7th Earl of Elgin and are currently housed in London's British Museum. Greece has repeatedly requested their return, but the British Museum claims legal ownership and cites its responsibility to preserve and maintain its collections. The Greek government argues that the marbles were stolen and should be displayed in the Acropolis Museum. The dispute continues, with differing opinions among the British public and politicians. [Extracted from the article]