UNESCO SEEKS HERITAGE STATUS REVIEW

Unesco, the UN’s cultural body, has said any change in the status of Hagia Sophia may have to be reviewed by its World Heritage committee. Hagia Sophia is on Unesco’s list of World Heritage Sites as a museum. “Thus, a state must make sure that no modification undermines the outstanding universal value of a site listed on its territory,” Unesco said.

Unesco said it had expressed its concerns to Turkish authorities in several letters and conveyed the message to Turkey’s ambassador to the institution on Thursday.