Constantinople was visited by the mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, who met with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

The mayor of Athens also spoke about the Monastery of Chora, which became a mosque, noting that “it is a Unesco world cultural heritage monument and belongs to all humanity”.

The statement of the mayor of Athens:

“I am very happy to have met Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew up close. We discussed in detail the promotion of peace and interreligious dialogue, at a time when two wars are shaking us. We also discussed many of our common interests that have to do with ecology, the environment. Patriarch Bartholomew was one of the pioneers in dealing with the climate crisis, with very important actions, with books and with joint initiatives with other leaders.
We are very saddened that the Monastery of Chora was turned into a mosque. A UNESCO World Heritage Site belongs to all humanity. The goal is to unite humanity, not divide it. There are standards and rules for how cultural heritage sites are protected and all states must adhere to them.