Contacts: 
Pat Suhrcke, Director
(617) 495-2727  
email: Public Events@cambridgeforum.org                            
Press Release
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LOOT: Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World

7:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Cambridge Forum
3 Church Street
Cambridge, MA

Free and Open to the Public

Why are the Elgin Marbles in London and not on the Acropolis? If such stunning art objects have admittedly come to Western museums through the heavy hand of 19th century cultural exploitation, do these museums have an ethical responsibility to return them?

Sharon Waxman will address these questions when she discusses her book, Loot: Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World on December 3rd at Cambridge Forum. Waxman will also weigh the risk that arises when national museums are too poor to house, protect and preserve valuable historical artifacts, and propose some ethical standards for museums to follow when they obtain art objects from Third World countries.

Sharon Waxman is a former cultural correspondent for The New York Times and holds a master’s degree in Middle East Studies from Oxford University.

Book signing courtesy of Harvard Book Store follows the program. 
Cambridge Forums are free and open to the public. Book signing will follow 
program. Open discussion follows speaker presentation. Events are recorded 
for public radio broadcast. CDs and tapes are available.  Call 617-495-2727.  
Forums can also be viewed online: Go to www.cambridgeforum.org and click on the 
WGBH Forum Network.

Cambridge Forum 
3 Church Street 
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone/fax:  617-495-2727
email: director@cambridgeforum.org
website:  http://www.cambridgeforum.org 

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