The Association of Cypriot Archaeologists unequivocally condemns the conversion of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque, and unites its voice with all those around the world who are protesting against the decision of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In its announcement today, the Association states that this decision is a disrespect to history and blatantly violates the 1972 UNESCO Convention, which has also been signed by Turkey.
He notes that under the 1972 Convention, changing the "status" of a World Heritage Site presupposes a decision by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Commission.
"Hagia Sophia has been included as a museum in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985 and this implies specific commitments and legal obligations by Turkey for the preservation of such a monument. Any interference with the building is a violation of international conventions. "The proposed alterations to the use of the monument from a museum to a place of Islamic worship will inevitably lead to alterations to the building, which do not ensure the preservation of its rich decoration," he added.
The Association emphasizes that the Hagia Sophia of Constantinople is one of the most important monuments of the World Cultural Heritage, as its Byzantine church building with its unique and innovative architecture and its rich mosaic mosaic section and marble decoration, of universal civilization, which endured through the centuries and has survived to the present day.
"Such a monument should not be used by any leader or state as a tool to exert political pressure. As a monument, it is a meeting point of East and West, but also a meeting point of peoples and religions. As a humanity, we have to keep it intact and leave it a legacy for future generations, "he said.
The Association of Cypriot Archaeologists is urging Turkey to respect the character of Hagia Sophia as a World Heritage Site and UNESCO, the body responsible for the matter, to take the necessary steps to prevent the building from being converted into an Islamic one.
Source: KYPE