The Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal | Parthenon Marbles

The Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Professor David Rudenstine, the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal, and the Benjamin B. Ferencz Human Rights and Atrocity Prevention Clinic are pleased to host a symposium on cultural property ownership. The symposium brings together leading scholars and advocates to discuss the history of cultural property, their rightful owners and whether the property should be returned to the original creating country.

Professor Rudenstine will present his decades-long historical research about the cultural property dispute between Greece and Great Britain over the Parthenon Sculptures taken to London in the early 1800s by the British ambassador, Lord Elgin. In his article, Professor Rudenstine assesses the legality of the taking and argues that, contrary to conventional narrative, there is no evidence that establishes that Ottoman officials gave Elgin prior or subsequent written permission to remove the Parthenon Sculptures from the edifice. Moreover, the British Museum continues to misrepresent the essential facts, and that its misrepresentations are knowing and deliberate. Distinguished art law practitioners will engage in a conversation with Professor Rudenstine about his research and the legality of the taking of the Elgin Marbles.

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Welcoming Remarks by Dean Melanie Leslie, Cardozo School of Law

9:30 AM: Panel 1: History Surrounding the Removal of the Sculptures and the U.K. Purchase of Elgin's Collection

Panelists:

• Elena Korka: Honorary Director General, Antiquities and Cultural Heritgage of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports
• David Rudenstine: Professor, Cardozo School of Law
• Giovanna Bellesia: Department Chair of Italian and German Studies, Smith College

11:00 AM: Panel 2: Should the British Museum Return the Collection to Athens?

Panelists:

• Irini Stamatoudi: Professor, University of Nicosia
• Elizabeth Marlowe: Professor, Colgate University
• Kris Tygat: President, International Association for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures

12:30 PM: Luncheon Address

Panelists:

• Dimitrios Pandermalis: President, Acropolis Museum
• Lina Mendoni: Minister of Culture and Sports, Cabinet of Kyriakos Mitsotakis

1:30 PM: Panel 3: The Universal Museum Myth

Moderator: Irini Stamatoudi: Professor, University of Nicosia

Panelists:

• Patty Gerstenblith: Professor, DePaul College of Law
• Elena Korka: Honorary Director General, Antiquities and Cultural Heritage of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports
• Joe Baker: Co-Founder and Executive Director, Lenape Center

3:15 PM: Panel 4: Cultural Property & International Human Rights Trends

Moderator: Sandy Cobden: Deputy General Counsel, Pactiv Evergreen Inc.

• Lawrence Kaye: Partner, Herrick, Feinstein LLP
• Leila Amineddoleh: Founder, Amineddoleh & Associates LLC
• Kristen Carpenter: Professor of Law, University of Colorado

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Please direct all questions about the event to Cecily D'Amore at [email protected].

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New York State CLE Credit:

New York State CLE Credit will be available following approval.

Host or Publisher Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal (AELJ)