Greek and world heritage in Türkiye
The fate of Greek and world heritage sites in Türkiye is a matter of concern. Türkiye’s relevant policy raises serious questions about the neighboring country’s willingness and ability to protect and preserve - in order to maintain their unique character unchanged - the plethora of monuments that adorn it, whether they are ancient Greek, Christian Orthodox or otherwise. Obligations to safeguard national and world cultural heritage are prescribed by a series of international conventions and decisions adopted within the wider context of the United Nations.
In this vein, the decision of the Turkish leadership to turn leading monuments of Christian culture in its territory from museums into mosques and again into places of worship is a matter of serious concern to the international community. At the same time it raises a multitude of questions about its motivation and ultimate goal. An illustrative, but not unique, example is the Hagia Sophia, a symbol of the Orthodox ecumenical tradition, a world-renowned monument for its unparalleled historical, cultural and architectural significance, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985.
With the decision of 10.7.2020 of the Turkish Council of State, the act of the Council of Ministers of 24.11.1934 on the transformation of Hagia Sophia into a museum was annulled, while a decree of the Turkish Presidency followed on the same day, transferring the supervision of the emblematic monument from the State to the General Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). Its daily operation, from 24.7.2020 onwards and throughout the day, as a mosque raises serious questions regarding the protection and promotion of the special features of Hagia Sophia, its uninterrupted visitation as a monument, as well as the compatibility of its new use with its status as a monument of world cultural heritage.
Other Byzantine monuments, such as the churches of Hagia Sophia in Nicaea (2011) and Trabzon (2013), Enez (2021) as well as the Monastery of Studiou in Istanbul (2019) have also been transformed to mosques. Also in the same context, the conversion of the Monastery of Chora, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and well-known for its famous mosaics and murals, from a museum (1945) into a mosque on 21.8.2020, following a decision by the Turkish Council of State on 4.11.2019.
In the context of the global concern on this issue, it is to be noted that the UNESCO World Heritage Committee decided, during its 44th session (July 2021), to put Türkiye under closer supervision and monitoring with regards to the ongoing works on the two monuments, while, at the same time, the Turkish authorities are required to submit a report in accordance with the UNESCO recommendations.
These decisions and actions of the Turkish authorities are not in line with the basic principles of respect enshrined in all religions, including Islam, and the values of the protection of monuments of special historical and cultural significance, while they are in direct conflict with the occasional declarations of Turkey on alliance of cultures and/or its initiatives for interreligious and intercultural dialogue.