Good evening. I'm so sorry not to be able to be with you tonight at the Met, one of the great museums of the world. It had been my intention to be there to share in what is a hugely important moment, not just for the Met and for the Museum of Cyclotic Art, but for the Greek diaspora and the United States, for the Greek people and for the partnership between our two countries. I'm not there only because I'm still fighting off a fever and while I'm feeling better, I have been advised not to travel, but I am I can assure you with you in spirit, even if the with you in body bit is proving a little bit more challenging. Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by saying thank you to Loughnut Stur for bringing this extraordinary collection together. Loughnut, your passion and generosity has made this partnership possible. Dear friends, as Greeks, we are surrounded by history and as Greeks we are acutely aware of the importance of that history, which is why evenings like this matter. Because as custolians of Greece's ancient history, the preservation, protection and promotion of Greek antiquity isn't just important. It's an enviable aduty and commitment never to be broken. Yes, that means that part of my mission as Prime Minister is about ensuring the return of Greek artifacts to Greece. But it also means that I have a duty to ensure that in doing that, these collections are also available to as wide an audience as possible. And this isn't of course necessarily straightforward. The debate over return, repatriation, ownership and public accessibility has sometimes proven too divisive and the discussions often overly contentious or unpleasant. What we are celebrating today is very different. The outcome of more than two years of work we have produced an agreement ratified by the Greek Parliament that changes the whole debate for the better. This agreement signals the beginning of a 50-year partnership that recognizes Greece's ownership of the display without recourse to the courts. And it ensures that the words loan from the Hellenic Republic, Ministry of Culture, are adopted as part of such an agreement for the first time in the national. But just as importantly, it unveils our realm of new possibilities around how we perceive antiquity. For the first time this collection will be seen in New York, after part of it was displayed in Greece its homeland. Indeed, of the 161 pieces on display, 15 of the most important have already spent the last year on display at the Museum of Cyclotic Art in a world premiere entitled Homecoming, Cycladic Treasures on the Return Journey. But partnership isn't just a one-way street. Artifacts from the permanent collection of the Museum of Cyclotic Art will over time move the other way by leaving Greece for your shores for the very first time. In the opening of this exhibition proves that the promotion of antiquity through partnership between museums but also between nations can actually work. Ladies and gentlemen, these artifacts provide a unique insight into the culture of the Cycladic civilization. A period that began, think about it, more than 5,000 years ago. Which is why I say to Max and his team to curator Sean Hemingway to the Museum of Cyclotic Art and to Lena Mendoni and her team at the Greek Ministry of Culture, thank you. Thank you for making this possible. Dear friends, this cooperation is setting new standards in the wider debate over how we address the question of repatriation of our antiquities. So in that spirit, let me end with this thought. As we consider the future of antiquities across the globe, we should always recognize that every case is different. Each has its own unique characteristics and its own base of supporting evidence. Given that the evidentiary procedures for any judicial claim around cultural property is in most cases very difficult, expensive and cumbersome, a more pragmatic approach is often the more practical approach. Today's partnership is the culmination of that pragmatism. That matters because others are watching and wondering what else is possible. I speak of course of the Parthenos cultures, the most iconic, the most important exhibit of classical Greece at its apogee, currently not in their entirety in Greece. For two years now, we've enjoyed positive discussions with the chair of the British Museum on a possible new partnership that brings the two parts of the sculptures together as one in Athens. Let me be clear, we will insist on their reunification for many reasons, but one in my mind is the most important because only by being seen together in situ, in the shadow of the Acropolis, can we truly appreciate very immense cultural importance for Western civilization. I believe both parties understand that and I believe both parties have the vision to see beyond past division to embrace a new win-win era of partnership. Thank you very much and I wish you all a very enjoyable evening.