UNESCO is investigating the issue that has arisen following Erdogan’s announcement of the conversion of Hagia Sophia from a museum into an Islamic mosque, said Ernesto Ottone Ramírez, the Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, in an interview with Greek newspaper Ta NEA.
The Chilean official said that UNESCO has sent a letter to the Turkish authorities at the beginning of June, but had not yet received a reply.
He stressed that the Convention on World Cultural Heritage stipulates that before any decision can be taken to change the status of a Cultural Heritage Monument, such as Hagia Sophia, a decision of the relevant UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee is required.
