The challenges faced by religious minorities in Turkey are recorded in the State Department’s annual report on religious freedom around the world.
The report notes that senior US government officials have continued to publicly and privately express to Turkish officials their view according to which Hagia Sophia is a monument of exceptional importance, supporting its preservation in a way that respects and is in line with its complex history.
As it is said, the US officials “stressed the importance of the issue with government officials (of Turkey) and also stressed that Hagia Sophia is a symbol of peaceful coexistence, real dialogue and respect between religions.”
Call for the Reopening of the Theological School of Halki
According to the report, “Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo and other senior government officials have continued to urge Turkish Government officials to reopen the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary and allow all religious communities to educate their clergy in the country.”
Source: ANA-MPA