{"id":164752,"date":"2020-07-13T12:00:35","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T11:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=164752"},"modified":"2020-07-12T09:47:56","modified_gmt":"2020-07-12T08:47:56","slug":"unesco-expresses-deep-regret-over-turkey-decision-to-change-status-of-historic-hagia-sophia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2020\/07\/unesco-expresses-deep-regret-over-turkey-decision-to-change-status-of-historic-hagia-sophia\/","title":{"rendered":"UNESCO Expresses Deep Regret over Turkey Decision to Change Status of Historic Hagia Sophia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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10 Jul 2020 – As the Turkish President signed a decree today converting the ancient Hagia Sophia in Istanbul into a mosque, the UN cultural agency (UNESCO<\/a>) said that it “deeply regrets the decision”\u00a0made “without prior discussion”, having earlier in the day called on the State to abide by its \u201clegal commitments and obligations\u201d in accordance with it\u2019s status as a museum, on the\u00a0World Heritage List<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Arab News<\/p><\/div>\n

The majestic building was founded around 1,500 years ago as a cathedral and is widely regarded as the foremost example of Byzantine Christian architecture in the world. Following the rise of the Ottoman Empire, it became a mosque, but in 1934, was designated a secular museum, shared by Christians, Muslims and those of all faiths or none, alike.<\/p>\n

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Hagia Sophia: UNESCO deeply regrets the decision of the Turkish authorities, made without prior discussion, and calls for the universal value of #WorldHeritage<\/a> to be preserved.<\/p>\n

Full statement: https:\/\/t.co\/WiZpjyagqF<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/klcMR9pmxC<\/a><\/p>\n

— UNESCO \ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f #Education #Sciences #Culture \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf3 (@UNESCO) July 10, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n