Plunder or Preservation: Lord Elgin and the Marbles

(In-Person)

with David Walden

Time: 9:30am – 11:30am
Overview: The “Elgin Marbles” (now referred to as the ”Parthenon Marbles”) are a collection of Classical Greek marble sculptures and architectural features that were part of the temple of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis Hill in Athens.

From 1801 to 1812, Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, and his agents removed about half of the sculptures of the Parthenon and transported them to Britain amid controversy over Elgin’s actions. Following a Parliamentary inquiry and the subsequent exoneration of Elgin, the marbles were purchased by the British government in 1816 and placed in the British Museum where they are now on display in the purpose-built Duveen Gallery. Greece has consistently maintained that the marbles were illegally removed from the Acropolis and is actively campaigning for their return.

This lecture presents the story of the marbles from 1801 to the present, exploring the circumstances of their removal, their “life” at the British Museum, and the ongoing efforts of the Government of Greece to have them returned. The question of the return of the marbles is still contemporary, controversial, and very political as it remains a source of friction in bilateral relations between the two countries. 

Lecture Biography: David Walden has spent over 40 years working in the cultural sector both domestically and internationally with Archives and Library Canada, the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). He twice chaired the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin or its Restitution in Case of Illicit Appropriation and has lectured extensively on art misappropriated during World War II and the issues surrounding the return of the Parthenon (Elgin) marbles. David has also been a member of Canadian delegations to many international meetings on a wide range of subjects such as cultural diversity, Holocaust Era assets, sustainable development and inclusive education.

Understanding ADHD

(Online)

with Dr. Barry Schneider

Time: 9:30am – 11:30am
Overview: It is not just about challenges with paying attention and being over-energetic. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is difficult to recognize and characterized by many obstacles in addition to attention problems. The name of the disorder changes every few years as do the criteria for its diagnosis. In this preview to the lecture series, Understanding ADHD, we will briefly trace the history of the concept of ADHD and theories about what causes it.

Lecture Biography: Barry H. Schneider is a retired clinical psychologist and professor of psychology. He has taught full-time at the University of Ottawa, the University of Toronto and Boston College as well as visiting professor appointments in 11 countries. He also has some background in film studies, including academic coursework and consulting work with independent filmmakers.

Saturn: The Jewel of Solar System

(In-person)

with Howard Simkover

Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Overview: The planet Saturn has long been an object of fascination for humanity. Galileo suspected there was something remarkable about this planet, but the optics of his telescope were not quite good enough to reveal Saturn’s true nature. In 1655, the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens realized that Saturn was surrounded by an astonishing system of rings. Through even a medium sized telescope, the rings present an unforgettable sight of exquisite beauty. The rings are made up of uncountable billions of orbiting chunks of water ice, mixed with traces of rocky material. The physics of the ring system continue to be a source of ongoing research by modern astronomers.

Saturn is a “gas giant” composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, and is accompanied by a retinue of more than 100 known moons. One of them, Enceladus, possesses an underground ocean of liquid water, which could even harbour life. Powerful geysers erupting near the south pole of Enceladus send water and dissolved chemicals careening outwards into space. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is the only place besides Earth known to have liquids on its surface.

Since the 1970s, several robotic spacecraft have flown by Saturn for close-up reconnaissance of this stunning world and its moons. In 2005, a European probe the size of a large refrigerator parachuted down to a soft landing on the surface of Titan. For 13 years, from 2004-17, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft orbited Saturn, taking thousands of photographs and scientific measurements.

We continue to learn more about this fascinating, beautiful planet, which is truly the “jewel of the solar system”.

Lecture Biography: Howard Simkover graduated as the leading student in McGill University’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering, and was awarded the British Association Medal for Great Distinction. His professional career has been in the field of telecommunications with Bell Canada and also in management consulting.
Howard’s lifelong interest in astronomy began at age 7. He later became active in the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, where he served on the Observation Committee and the Board of Directors of the Montreal Centre.
For more than two decades, Howard produced numerous shows and lectured on astronomy at the Planétarium de Montréal. He has also lectured at the Canada Science & Technology Museum in Ottawa and at Carleton University. He continues to speak about astronomy to audiences in the National Capital Region, and to groups elsewhere in the world via Zoom technology. He owns and regularly uses several telescopes to observe the sky.

TBD

(Online)

with

Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm