Vandalism at Hagia Sophia raises concerns about the UNESCO site
Last week evidence emerged of a disturbing act of vandalism at Hagia Sophia, with photos showing the historic Imperial Gate badly damaged. This is raising concerns over the repercussions of Turkish President Erdogan’s decision in 2020 to turn Hagia Sophia, then a museum, into a mosque. Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou, a leading expert on issues of religion and human rights, joins our host Thanos Davelis to look into this incident and the broader impact that Hagia Sophia’s conversion into a mosque is having on the UNESCO world heritage site.
Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou is an internationally recognized leader on issues of religion and human rights, and a previous Vice Chair and Commissioner on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. Dr. Prodromou is also a faculty member at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, where she directs the Initiative on Religion, Law, and Diplomacy.
You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:
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