2017 - 5th GPA-UK dinner

Honoured by distinguished guests

President of the GPA -UK introducing hte eventGuest speakers highlight Delphi’s past and present significance and  suggest a new approach to seeking the Parthenon Sculptures restitution

The Greek Press Association-UK (GPA-UK) successfully held its 5th  annual dinner on Wednesday 8 March at Soho’s Dstrkt Club, bringing  together nearly 100 distinguished guests from various sectors of  Britain’s public life, including representatives of the Greek and  Cypriot diaspora associations, as well as several journalists.

Geoffrey Robertson QC, founder and joint head of Doughty Street ChambersThe guest of honour was Michael Scott, Associate Professor of  Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick, widely known  as a familiar presenter of TV historical documentaries and author of  books on ancient Greece and Rome.

Dr Scott spoke about the importance of the Oracle of Delphi in  ancient Greece, as a place where Greeks of rival city states often  declared war and where occasionally they decided to join forces against  the common enemy.

He also spoke about the exceptional spirituality of the place,  uniquely described in his book ‘Delphi: A History of the Centre of the  Ancient World’ (Princeton University Press, 2014), which for him attests  to why Delphi was known as “the navel of the world”.

Dr. Michael Scott delivering his speechMichael Scott said that Greece’s history, contribution to  civilisation and aura of places such as Delphi could still make the  country a spiritual centre of the world, with Delphi serving as a  meeting point for the powers that be.

..As a token of appreciation for Dr Scott’s contribution to highlighting the ancient Greek culture and history, the GPA presented him with a small but symbolic gift – a baby cypress tree grown from the seed of a cone coming from the ancient precinct of Delphi.As a token of appreciation for Dr Scott’s contribution to  highlighting the ancient Greek culture and history, the GPA presented  him with a small but symbolic gift – a baby cypress tree grown from the  seed of a cone coming from the ancient precinct of Delphi.

The Association is also prepared to send a handsome number of Delphic  baby cypresses to the University of Warwick for planting on the campus  which is currently under expansion.

The other guest speaker was Geoffrey Robertson QC, founder and joint  head of Doughty Street Chambers, who -together with his colleague Amal  Clooney- recently compiled a legal opinion on how the Greek government  could proceed with claiming the Parthenon Sculptures currently exhibited  at the British Museum.

Although Mr Robertson is not employed by the Greek government any  more, he presented for the first time during the GPA dinner a new  suggestion: that Brexit could bring the issue of the Parthenon  Sculptures to the fore yet again.

The distinguished barrister noted that Brexit means that the UK will  not be bound by Article 3 of the EU Treaty which states that each member  country must “ensure that Europe’s cultural heritage is safeguarded”.  According to Mr Robertson’s suggestion, Greece would therefore have good  reason to try to persuade its fellow member-states to include the  restitution of the Parthenon Marbles in their list of negotiation  demands, in exchange for satisfying one of the UK’s likely  counter-demands.

Vicky Pryce and guestsThe guests were welcomed by the Greek Press Association President,  who reminded everyone of the long historical presence of Greeks in  London, dating back to the mid-17th century at least.

Among the guests attending the dinner were author Victoria Hislop,  economist Vicky Price, historian and Hellenist William St Clair, Dr  Scott’s documentaries director and producer David Wilson and his  literary agent Patrick Walsh, former London MEP Marina Yannakoudakis and  others.

David Wilson, Michael Scott, Patrick Walsh, Alice Scott (seated)Minister for Tourism Mrs Elena Kountoura and was organised with the kind  support of the Greek National Tourism Organisation’s office in London,  the Messenian Society, Critical Publics, Athena Paris-Theofili, Matti  Egon-Xyla, Peter Strong, the Hellenic Bankers Association-UK, the  Hellenic TV and the London Greek Radio (LGR 103.3 FM).