Acropolis Museum President and noted archeologist, Professor Pandermalis, dies

he Minister of Culture and Sports, Lina Mendoni, made the following statement: "It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to a rare scientist, an inspiring teacher, a valuable colleague, a good friend. The career of Dimitris Pandermalis is full of top achievements in the science of archaeology. He was a pioneer, directing the excavations at Dion, where he developed an innovative archaeological and natural park. He brought new, modern ideas, as President of the Department of History and Archaeology and Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. However, his great work, his life's vision, was the Acropolis Museum, which he served from the first moment, with all his strength. He was the soul of the Museum, when it was still only on paper. He was there, at every stage of its creation and until his last moments. We owe it to him that Greece has one of the greatest and most beloved museums in the world, a model museum of cultural management, which honours our culture and our country. A museum that in its 13 years of operation, transmits daily in the most essential way the message of the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures in the land of their birth to the millions of visitors who come from every corner of the world. He invested his personality, prestige, passion, philosophy and dedication to the goal of the excellent operation of the Museum. We owe him a lot. His loss is painful to all of us who knew him, who worked with him for over twenty years, to whom he was a dear friend."