100,000 people on Lonsdale Street for the Antipodes Festival at the unveiling of the new Parthenon Marbles frieze at The Greek Centre.
In his remarks at Friday night's Antipodes Festival Victorian premier Daniel Andrews pledged $800,000 to the event and called for the UK to repatriate the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
Andrews congratulated the Melbourne Greek community and invited the audience to the event.
"It's wonderful to be in one of the most famous Greek cities in the world. Melbourne, Thessaloniki, and Athens. The Premier exclaimed, "Great Greek cities of the world!" "Of course, we're gathered here to honour what the Greeks have given us. Everything the Greeks left behind for us in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and throughout the world.
In a segment of his address that was delivered in Greek, Andrews said that democracy, or "episteme," would not exist without Greeks (science).
Alongside the President of the Greek Community of Melbourne Bill Papastergiadis, the Premier unveiled the completion of the Parthenon marbles replica adorning The Greek Centre building on the corner of Lonsdale St and Russell St.
Papastergiades revealed that the replica frieze has remained unfinished, to represent the stolen sculptures housed at the British Museum.
“It’s a message to England that we want it back, and when it comes back, we’re going to finish it,” he said.
Dan Andrews also called upon the United Kingdom for the immediate return of the Parthenon marbles to Greece.
