Conference on Interreligious Relations in Contexts of Division: The challenges of Preserving Cultural and Religious Heritage in the Occupied Areas in Cyprus

On July 1st, 2025, representatives of the Permanent Office of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the European Institutions attended the conference “Interreligious Relations in Contexts of Division: The Challenges of Preserving Cultural and Religious Heritage in the Occupied Areas in Cyprus,” hosted by the EPP Working Group on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue at the European Parliament in Brussels. The event gathered prominent religious and political leaders to raise awareness about the ongoing threats to religious and cultural heritage in the northern occupied territories of Cyprus. Among the participants were MEPs Vangelis Meimarakis, Željana Zovko, and Michalis Hadjipantela, who were joined by Orthodox hierarchs, lawmakers, and cultural heritage experts.

In his opening remarks, MEP Vangelis Meimarakis stressed that preserving cultural heritage in Cyprus is not merely a matter of national interest but a European responsibility — a question of fundamental rights, religious freedom, and historical justice.

His Eminence Metropolitan Vasilios of Constantia delivered a powerful and emotional plea, denouncing the systematic destruction, desecration, and appropriation of Christian religious sites in the occupied areas. He described the situation as a form of “cultural and religious genocide” carried out under the Turkish occupation, where historic churches are converted into mosques, marketplaces, or abandoned to ruin. According to him, such acts represent not only an assault on Cypriot heritage but a direct insult to European values and identity. His Eminence pointed out the European Union’s lack of response in this manner and clearly stated that without justice, reconciliation remains only an unreachable desideratum. He also questioned whether Turkey is receiving preferential treatment for supporting such an agenda, despite its actions undermining the very principles of the Union.

In his address, His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium emphasised the importance of interreligious dialogue as a tool for peacebuilding in divided societies. He called for strong leadership, mutual respect for holy places, and an honest confrontation with painful truths. Without dialogue and collaboration, he warned, the wounds of division will remain open.

Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos, member of the Hellenic Parliament and Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy and cultural expert Dr. Maria Skordi, Curator of Museums and Monuments, echoed concerns about the looting, decay, and appropriation of sacred sites, especially in minority communities such as the Maronites. They urged the EU to counter the false narratives being promoted by occupying forces and to defend the continent’s shared religious legacy.

Professor Jan Olbrycht, the former Co-Chair of the European People’s Party Working Group on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue, offered a thought-provoking reflection on the religious-political dimensions of the conflict in Cyprus. He highlighted how religious sites are not merely cultural artefacts but living expressions of communal identity and spiritual life. He warned against the instrumentalisation of religion in political agendas and called for a renewed European commitment to protecting spiritual spaces as part of its broader human rights mandate.

The presentations and testimonies delivered during the conference underscored that the crisis in Cyprus is not just a regional issue but a matter of European Union concern. The destruction of religious and cultural heritage in the occupied areas threatens the principles of religious freedom, human rights and the preservation of cultural heritage. The Permanent Office of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the European Institutions reaffirms its solidarity with all communities affected by injustices and denounces any form of abuse that jeopardises human dignity and freedom.