In a surprising development, the Turkish newspaper Karar reports that the Turkish government is making strides toward reopening the Theological School of Halki, which has been closed since 1971.
Turkish Minister of Education, Yusuf Tekin, is spearheading the initiative. According to Karar, Tekin recently visited the School, met with officials, and consulted former ministers who had previously worked on this issue. The reopening is being considered as part of the “second wave of reforms” that the Turkish government is preparing to implement following the local elections on March 31. However, the specifics of these reforms remain unclear.
On May 29, Tekin, accompanied by a delegation, visited the School and met with officials from the Patriarchate. Emphasizing the historical significance of the building, Tekin suggested that restoration works should preserve the original architecture. He also visited the school library, which houses 80,000 volumes.
“Closed for more than 50 years, the request for the reopening of the School has been raised from time to time, and a new initiative has been launched,” Karar reports. The government is preparing a comprehensive study on the reopening. Under the coordination of the Minister of National Education, Yusuf Tekin, both legal and political steps taken to date are being reviewed. Tekin is also holding several meetings to discuss the matter further.
The issue gained renewed attention during the recent Mitsotakis-Erdogan meeting in Ankara three weeks ago. On May 13, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed the reopening of the Theological School with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. According to Karar, Mitsotakis urged Erdogan to take measures to reopen the School. In an interview with the Greek newspaper Kathimerini the day before the visit, Erdogan stated, “We are working to open the Theological School of Halki. We expect the same constructive approach from our neighbor regarding the problems faced by the Turkish minority in Greece in the field of education.”
This development marks a significant step forward in addressing a long-standing issue and reflects the potential for improved relations between Turkey and Greece.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
