A moot court (simulated trial) was recently hosted by the Hellenic Australian Lawyers Association (HAL) and Monash Law School to discuss returning the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
The Marbles were taken from Greece 200 years ago by Lord Elgin and are displayed in the British Museum.
On October 19 a panel for the moot court discussed the dispute between the UK and Greece over proprietorship of the Marbles.
The trial kicked off with arguments for Greece by Paul Athanasiou QC, president of the Victorian Bar Council and representing the UK, Julian Burnside ΑΟ QC (who clarified after the end of the panel discussion that he too stands with Greece).
Both sides presented their arguments in the moot trial and afterwards the “jury” or audience, was allowed to cast their vote; a vote which was overwhelmingly in favor of returning the Marbles to Greece so they can be reunited with the Parthenon.
Judges that sat in on the moot trial were distinguished professionals Justice Emilios Kyrou and Justice Rita Zammit of the Supreme Court of Victoria and Justice Debra Mortimer of the Federal Court of Australia.
The Monash University panel members consisted of Associate Professor Douglas Guilfoyle, international law expert; Dr Tria Gkouvas, legal philosopher; Dr Andrew Connor, ancient historian; Dr Evangelina Anagnostou-Laoutides, classicist.
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