Nikos Tornaritis calls for restoration of Hagia Sophia's museum status at PACE meeting

Nikos Tornaritis, head of the Cypriot delegation and Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), participated in a meeting of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media in Istanbul. During the session, the committee discussed the current status of the Hagia Sophia. The issue was originally placed on the committee's agenda in 2020 by Tornaritis and Kostis Efstathiou following the monument's conversion from a museum into a mosque. During his intervention, Tornaritis argued that returning the structure to museum status is essential to preserve its universal, historical, and cultural value. He emphasized the importance of protecting the monument, which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, by respecting its aesthetic and symbolic significance. Furthermore, he advocated for ensuring public access to the site to promote intercultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence. No specific resolution or decision by the committee was announced following these remarks.