Whereas the Parthenon was built on the hill of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, in the mid-fifth century B.C. under the direction of the Athenian statesman Pericles and the design of the sculptor Phidias; Whereas the Parthenon is the ultimate expression of the artistic genius of Greece, the preeminent symbol of the Greek cultural heritage, including its art, architecture, and democracy, and of the contributions that modern Greeks and their forefathers have made to civilization; Whereas the Parthenon has served as a place of worship for ancient Greeks, Christians, and Muslims; Whereas the Parthenon has been adopted by imitation by the United States in many preeminent public buildings, including the Lincoln Memorial; Whereas over 100 pieces of the Parthenon’s sculptures, now known as the Parthenon Marbles, were removed from the Parthenon under questionable circumstances between 1801 and 1816 by British nobleman Thomas Bruce, seventh Earl of Elgin, while Greece was still under Ottoman rule; Whereas the removal of the Parthenon Marbles, including their perilous voyage to Great Britain and their careless storage there for many years, greatly endangered the Marbles; Whereas the Parthenon Marbles were removed to grace the private home of Lord Elgin, who transferred the Marbles to the British Museum only after severe personal economic misfortunes; Whereas the sculptures of the Parthenon were designed as an integral part of the structure of the Parthenon temple, the carvings of the friezes, pediments, and metopes are not merely statuary, movable decorative art, but are integral arts of the Parthenon, which can best be appreciated if all the Parthenon Marbles are reunified; Whereas the Parthenon is a universal symbol of culture, democracy, and freedom, making the Parthenon Marbles of concern not only to Greece but to all the world; Whereas, since obtaining independence in 1830, Greece has sought the return of the Parthenon Marbles