The Hagia Sophia reconversion into a mosque in 2020 sparked significant controversy, particularly due to its historical significance as both a Byzantine cathedral and an Ottoman mosque, as well as its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The reconversion has raised concerns about the preservation of cultural and religious diversity in Istanbul, potentially affecting tourism and local businesses.

Tour guides in Istanbul face challenges in mitigating the potential negative impact of the Hagia Sophia reconversion on their business, as this decision may deter non-Muslim tourists.

The reconversion has prompted changes in tourist behavior, with visitors expected to adopt more respectful and guided approaches due to restricted access and designated prayer zones.

Tourists may prefer self-guided tours or audio-guided experiences to minimize disruptions to worshippers, as physical tour guides will no longer accompany visitors through corridors.

The introduction of fees and separate entrances for worshippers and tourists is likely to increase demand for informational materials and multimedia resources like earphones.

Tour guides may need to adapt by providing in-depth historical and religious context, emphasizing the site's UNESCO World Heritage status and its role as a shared cultural landmark.

The prioritization of prayer at Hagia Sophia could lead to increased focus on cultural and educational aspects of tourism, with guides trained to address sensitive topics related to the reconversion.

Restricting access to the interior may prompt tourists to seek alternative cultural experiences, potentially boosting related attractions or educational programs in Istanbul.

The change in entry protocols, including separate entrances for worshippers and tourists, may influence tourist preferences toward private or scheduled visits to ensure compliance with guidelines.

Tour guides will likely need to develop strategies to manage questions about the reconversion's implications, providing balanced perspectives on its historical, cultural, and religious significance.

The Hagia Sophia reconversion into a mosque in 2020 sparked significant controversy, particularly due to its historical significance as both a Byzantine cathedral and an Ottoman mosque, as well as its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Title:

Content: New rules come into force for the visit of Hagia Sophia Mosque in Turkey - Sunrise Gate
Tuesday 16 January 2024 2: 04 PM Cairo Cairo 24 °
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New rules come into effect for visiting Hagia Sophia mosque in Turkey
DBA
Published on: Tuesday 16 January 2024 - 1: 54 PM | Last updated on Tuesday 16 January 2024 - 1: 54 PM
The project for the Hagia Sophia mosque was closest to the heart of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – but it was also the project that drew international criticism.
In the summer of 2020, Erdogan restored Hagia Sophia to be a mosque after it was originally a church, converted into an Ottoman mosque, converted into a museum.
At the time, Erdogan assured citizens that entry fees would be abolished, adding that the cultural edifice would remain open to everyone – Muslims or non-Muslims alike.
There will be another major change from January 15, with access to the Hagia Sophia restricted and visitors will have to pay fees again.
Turkish Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Arsoy hopes this will improve coexistence between religious and tourist visitors.
Arsoy said recently that tourist visitors are making noise and disrupting calm and prayer.
Until recently, visitors and worshippers were allowed to enter the interior of Hagia Sophia together, with barriers and signs keeping a certain distance between them.
However, from now on, worshippers and tourists will be introduced through different entrances.
Although worshippers can use the same entrances as before, tourists will be guided through an upstairs hallway.
According to Arsoy, tour guides will not be allowed to accompany visitors through the corridors, and earphones will be used instead.
“Our priority there is prayer, ” Arsoy said, noting that the building is a world cultural heritage site and should therefore remain open to all visitors around the world.
Zuleiha Duman, 29, who returned to Istanbul from Germany to see Hagia Sophia after it was converted into a mosque, said she found it taking away.
Welcoming the new rules, she said: “As long as the entrance fee isn ’ t too high, I think it ’ s acceptable. ”
“Why shouldn ’ t Turkey and the government take advantage of this place?
These funds can be channeled to preserve more religious places. ”
Hagia Sophia has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of Istanbul ’ s history since 1985.
Built by Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the largest place of worship in Christianity for nearly a thousand years, it was the main church during the Byzantine Empire, and from the seventh century, the emperor was crowned inside.
After the Ottomans entered Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque.
On the orders of the founder of the Turkish Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the building was converted into a museum in 1934 until the summer of 2020.
Hagia Sophia is as symbolically important to Orthodox Christians around the world as St. Peter ’ s Basilica is to Catholics.
After the building was converted into a mosque, criticism poured in from the Greek Orthodox Church.
The UNESCO Foundation also criticized the decision without consultation.
For Erdogan, turning the place into a mosque was his “childhood dream, ” as he himself said, and pleasing to religious voters.
A few external changes were made at the time, for example, a green carpet was placed above the marble floor.
It seems clear that all these things did not detract from the popularity of this teacher.
According to official statistics, some 13.6 million people visited the Hagia Sophia landmark in 2022, not all of them from Europe.
The number of visitors from Indonesia in particular has risen, Hagia Sophia Imam Binyamin Topoglu told Turkey ’ s Anadolu news agency in 2023.
The amount of the fees has not yet been determined.
Tourism Minister Ersoy says the proceeds will be spent on cultural assets, for excavation or preservation of monuments such as the Hagia Sophia.
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How did Muslims and Orthodox Christians react to the reconversion?

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

The reconversion has raised concerns about the preservation of cultural and religious diversity in Istanbul, potentially affecting tourism and local businesses.

Tour guides in Istanbul face challenges in mitigating the potential negative impact of the Hagia Sophia reconversion on their business, as this decision may deter non-Muslim tourists.

The reconversion has prompted changes in tourist behavior, with visitors expected to adopt more respectful and guided approaches due to restricted access and designated prayer zones.

Tourists may prefer self-guided tours or audio-guided experiences to minimize disruptions to worshippers, as physical tour guides will no longer accompany visitors through corridors.

The introduction of fees and separate entrances for worshippers and tourists is likely to increase demand for informational materials and multimedia resources like earphones.

Tour guides may need to adapt by providing in-depth historical and religious context, emphasizing the site's UNESCO World Heritage status and its role as a shared cultural landmark.

The prioritization of prayer at Hagia Sophia could lead to increased focus on cultural and educational aspects of tourism, with guides trained to address sensitive topics related to the reconversion.

Restricting access to the interior may prompt tourists to seek alternative cultural experiences, potentially boosting related attractions or educational programs in Istanbul.

The change in entry protocols, including separate entrances for worshippers and tourists, may influence tourist preferences toward private or scheduled visits to ensure compliance with guidelines.

Tour guides will likely need to develop strategies to manage questions about the reconversion's implications, providing balanced perspectives on its historical, cultural, and religious significance.

What did the CALHSC president urge regarding decisions on Hagia Sophia?

Consider both Muslim and Christian voices


Turkey’s reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque reflects Erdogan’s strategy to consolidate Islamo-nationalist support.

This decision aims to shore up his base by erasing multiculturalism and emphasizing Turkish identity.

Erdogan’s weakened economy and political prospects have led him to compensate by reinforcing religious nationalism.

The move aligns with Erdogan’s broader goal of shifting Turkey’s identity towards a more Islamist orientation.

By converting Hagia Sophia, a symbol of Ottoman and Christian history, into a mosque, Erdogan seeks to divert attention from Turkey’s economic downturn and recent electoral losses.

Analysts suggest the reconversion is part of Erdogan’s effort to appeal to religio-nationalism, a tactic to revive his electoral popularity after a significant defeat.

The decision may also signal a shift in Turkey’s foreign policy, potentially undermining relations with the European Union, which Erdogan has dubbed a “Christian club”.

Critics argue the move undermines Turkey’s secular heritage and could provoke tensions with global Christian communities, particularly given Hagia Sophia’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Erdogan’s rhetoric often emphasizes national unity, framing religious conversions as restoring historical truths.

The decision reflects Erdogan’s reliance on internal political pressures, including a growing perception that he is out of touch with mainstream Anatolia.

By prioritizing religious symbolism, Erdogan aims to reinvigorate his political base amid domestic challenges.

The reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque is seen as a strategic move to consolidate power, leveraging religious identity to counterbalance recent setbacks in Turkish politics.

This aligns with Erdogan’s long-term strategy of positioning Turkey as a leader of the global Muslim community.

Turkey’s reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque reflects Erdogan’s strategy to consolidate Islamo-nationalist support.

Title:

Content: >
December 9, 2021

Christian leaders look forward to Turkey's new law on religious foundations

This is an issue of vital importance for local Christian communities whose places of worship are entrusted to and managed by their governing bodies

Religious minorities in Turkey are looking forward to the increasingly Islamo-nationalist government making good its promise of outreach to non-Muslims by giving them freedom to establish and run their religious and social institutions.

The Turkish government is preparing to issue a new regulation on the administrative management of foundations linked to non-Muslim faith communities, which have been paralyzed for years by a legislative impasse that blocks the renewal of their governing bodies.

This is an issue of vital importance for local Christian communities such as Armenians and Assyrians, whose places of worship – many of them historic --, other real estate and public institutions are entrusted to and managed by foundations.

Burhan Ersoy, head of the state-run Directorate of the Foundations, has confirmed that the plan for the drafting of a new regulation concerning the elections for the assignment of offices within the foundations has come into being, Fides reported.

The draft of the text has been drawn up, taking into account requests and proposals from the various minority communities, and it is expected that the new rules, after obtaining government approval, would be implemented by April 2022.

The previous electoral regulation for the top management of foundations had been suspended in 2013, after the government chose to establish new procedures to make the management of real estate more functional and transparent.

This led to some confusion with representatives of the various minority communities unable to come to a consensus to either accept or reject the new electoral rules, Ersoy said.

The Syrian Orthodox Christian Süleyman Can Ustabaşı, current representative of the non-Muslim Foundations within the Assembly of Foundations, has said that the structure of foundations and their membership profiles had changed over time.

The Turkish government already had consultations with the representatives of religious minorities to resolve the dispute over board elections for their foundations.

But Ustabaşı now urges Turkish authorities to carry out another consultation with representatives of minority communities before the new text is to be implemented in 2022.

The legal status of the Foundations is still based on the Peace Treaty of Lausanne, signed in 1923 by Turkey and the Entente powers (British Empire, France and Russian Empire) victorious from the First World War.

The treaty guaranteed equality before the laws and the freedom to promote and manage "religious and social institutions" for non-Muslim communities in Turkey.

However, the state had seized properties run by these foundations and had to contend with litigation as these foundations claimed the rights guaranteed by the Treaty of Lausanne.

Also, starting from 1936, legislative provisions had allowed foundations of non-Muslim communities to acquire new properties. But in 1974, this guarantee was canceled and the state begun seizing assets acquired by these foundations.

Between 2013 and 2018 about 1,084 properties were returned to the foundations linked to non-Muslim communities, and 20 places of worship restored and given back to the foundations, according to official data.

Greek Orthodox Laki Vingas, in a speech published by the Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos, said that the legislative deadlock on the question of the regulation of the foundations has had a negative effect on the life of the different ecclesial communities.

The block in the processes of renewal of the governing bodies of foundations had led to the expulsion of young people from the institutions linked to their communities, and also that many voluntary activities were "unfortunately interrupted".

Non-Muslim places of worship

Within the general Assembly of the Turkish Foundations are some 167 minority foundations. The Turkish Greek community has 77, the highest number of foundations. The Armenian community has 54 and the Jewish community has 19 foundations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a cabinet meeting held on October 25 announced that authorities had put on the agenda the question of the elections of the directorates of the foundations linked to religious minorities.

He also spoke of fundamental tools for the management of assets and resources destined for non-Muslim places of worship.

The issue of the foundations come at a time when Turkish authorities have expelled more and more Protestant Christians -- foreigners and Turkish converts-- on grounds they constitute a "threat to national security".

Turkey had also recently transformed museums into mosques, such as the Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora.

Both churches had been turned into museums after the end of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of modern Turkey.

The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora was built by the Byzantines in the 5th century. The Ottomans then turned it into a mosque after they captured Constantinople in 1453. And it remained a Muslim worship space until the end of the Second World War when it was transformed into a museum.

The same happened to the Hagia Sophia Museum in Iznik, and the high-profile reconversion of the Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul's most identifiable monument.

Many observers believe that President Erdogan, weakened internally by a bad economy and a lack of political perspective, is compensating with erasing part of the country's multiculturalism, aimed at shoring up the ranks of his Islamo-nationalist base.

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What kind of domestic reaction did Erdogan's reconversion of Hagia Sophia receive?

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

This decision aims to shore up his base by erasing multiculturalism and emphasizing Turkish identity.

What kind of domestic reaction did Erdogan's reconversion of Hagia Sophia receive?

Erdogan’s weakened economy and political prospects have led him to compensate by reinforcing religious nationalism.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The move aligns with Erdogan’s broader goal of shifting Turkey’s identity towards a more Islamist orientation.

Title:

Content: After Hagia Sophia, Turkey converts a second ancient Byzantine church into a mosque

Hundreds of worshippers filled the narrow streets of Istanbul's Fatih district on Friday to hear the sounds of Friday prayers ringing out from the newly inaugurated Kariye Mosque.

Once known as the Chora Church, the site spent the last 79 years as a museum. But it is now the latest structure to be converted back into a mosque by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following the conversion of Hagia Sophia in 2020. While viewed as a triumph by many Turkish Muslims, the Greek Orthodox Church has decried it as an "ill-advised decision" that "makes a mockery of the Turkish government's commitment to religious tolerance and religious freedom."

Chora's conversion was announced shortly after Hagia Sophia's, but its opening for prayer was delayed by years of restoration work.

The showing for the first Friday prayers at Kariye was relatively quiet compared to Hagia Sophia, which drew hundreds of thousands who filled the streets with prayer rugs for blocks and blocks away from the building. By contrast, the crowd on Friday was relatively average for a mosque in one of Istanbul's more religiously conservative neighborhoods, where Friday worshippers frequently spill out onto the streets.

Both the Chora Church and Hagia Sophia are 4th-century Byzantine constructions. They spent nearly a millennium as Christian holy sites before being converted to mosques by the Ottomans after their conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century. Despite their conversions, they remained revered by Orthodox Christians. After the founding of a secular Turkish Republic in the early 20th century, the decision was made for both to be neither mosque nor church but simply museums.

"Both Hagia Sophia and Chora embodied Byzantine and Ottoman pasts, and they became symbols of co-existence and multi-faith living practices. Their conversion fundamentally implies a hierarchy, prioritizing the Islamic past over all other layers, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish, Syriac, et al," Dr. Özgür Kaymak, a lecturer and researcher on minority rights at Istanbul's MEF University, told Religion News Service in an email.

Rededicating the sites as mosques is more than just a status change. According to Islamic tradition, artwork of human figures are forbidden in places of prayer, while in Orthodox Churches, icons of Christ, saints and other biblical figures are a defining feature.

In Hagia Sophia, the mosaics of Jesus and Mary have been covered with curtains since the conversion. While Erdoğan promised Hagia Sophia would remain fully accessible and free to all visitors, Turkey reneged on that earlier this year, reimposing an entrance fee on tourists and relegating them to the upper level, while the main floor is exclusive to Muslim worshippers.

Observers have also criticized the Turkish Directorate of Religion's caretaking of the site, noting damage that did not exist when it was under the purview of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Though Chora is significantly smaller than Hagia Sophia, it is home to some of the best-preserved examples of late-Byzantine art, including mosaics, icons and frescoes, and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"For us it's a very important place because it remembers our culture and our traditions here," Father Evangelos Markantonis, an Orthodox priest who was leading a group of theology students to Chora on Friday, told Religion News Service.

"Though we cannot venerate as Orthodox Christians, we have to try to find things we can be united on. Only with dialogue and good deeds can we continue our lives," Markantonis, who is also a professor at the University of Athens, said when asked about the controversy.

Erdoğan had long refused calls from his right to convert churches like Hagia Sophia and Chora, telling supporters in 2018 to fill the nearby Sultan Ahmet Mosque (also known in English as the Blue Mosque) before they talked about needing to pray in Hagia Sophia.

Nonetheless, he made an about-turn in 2020.

"My dear nation, the conquest of Istanbul and the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a Mosque are among the most glorious chapters in Turkish history," Erdoğan said at the time in a speech inaugurating the Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

"This is the most honorable day that Islam has been looking forward to, Greek Constantinople has become Turkish Istanbul," he added, quoting the Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet.

"The resurrection of Hagia Sophia heralds the liberation of the al-Aqsa Mosque. The resurrection of Hagia Sophia is the footsteps of the will of Muslims across the world to come out of the interregnum," Erdoğan said in his concluding remarks.

Chora's opening as the Kariye Mosque comes just weeks after Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered its largest electoral defeat in two decades during Turkey's nationwide municipal elections.

"The recent conversion of Chora into a mosque may be due to Erdoğan's many problems, including his geopolitical power politics, his appeal to religio-nationalism to revive his electoral popularity after the March elections or his tactic to divert attention from Turkey's economic downturn," Kaymak said.

Many analysts have attributed the loss to AKP bleeding votes to the more Islamist-leaning New Welfare Party, which has pressured Erdogan over his response to the Israel-Hamas war and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Muslim worshippers at the mosque on Friday said they viewed its rededication as an Islamic site to be a national win for Turkey.

"This mosque is one of the symbols of the Conquest. We are proud and happy. There are very beautiful frescoes inside. They were also nicely renovated before they were closed. May it be good for our country and our nation," a bystander, Ahmet Öteyüzoğlu, told Turkish media.

"Thank God for these days. Not everyone has the opportunity in their lifetime," another bystander named Mehmet Çelik told the Turkish news service Anadolu Agency, in reference to having been able to pray at both the rededicated Hagia Sophia and Kariye Mosques.

However, Greece, the U.S. State Department and Orthodox Christian institutions worldwide have all criticized the decision to revert the structure into a mosque.

"I want to publicly express my intense dissatisfaction, interpreting the feelings of all Greek women and men, for the completely unnecessary conversion of a historic Byzantine temple, the Monastery of Chora, into a mosque. It is, I believe, an action that offends the rich history of Istanbul itself as a crossroads of cultures," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said shortly before leaving for Turkey for a planned meeting with Erdogan.

"We encourage the Turkish government to preserve and ensure access to sites and buildings that have hosted different religious communities in a way that respects their diverse histories," a State Department spokesperson said in response to questions from Greek media.

"The Turkish government's appropriation of both as the property of one faith group not only constitutes yet another sign of that government's contempt for Turkey's rich Orthodox Christian heritage but further imperils the religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the remaining Christians of that land," the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate said in a statement.

© Religion News Service

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

Why did Erdogan restore Hagia Sophia as a mosque in 2020?

Because he wanted to end its 86-year museum status to return it to its original role as a mosque.

By converting Hagia Sophia, a symbol of Ottoman and Christian history, into a mosque, Erdogan seeks to divert attention from Turkey’s economic downturn and recent electoral losses.

Analysts suggest the reconversion is part of Erdogan’s effort to appeal to religio-nationalism, a tactic to revive his electoral popularity after a significant defeat.

Title:

Content: On the 564 anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans, the American Council for the Liberation of Hagia Sophia (CALHSC) called for the Hagia Sophia Museum to return to its original significance, that is, it should once again hear Christian prayers and Christian services.
Such a statement, reports the Austrian Catholic news agency KATHPRESS, was made by the president of CALHSC, an American politician of Greek origin Chris Spirou.
According to the agency, he has already appealed to the Turkish government with a proposal to start negotiations on this issue.
As a first step, it is proposed to allow regular liturgical services while maintaining the status of Hagia Sophia as a museum.
All Christians still perceive the cathedral as a shrine, Spira argues, so if the Turkish authorities raise the issue of returning it to the status of a cult place of worship, Ankara should hear the voices of Christians, not just Muslims.
In the event that the Turkish leadership does not go to negotiations, the “American Council for the Liberation of Hagia Sophia ” is going to file a lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Erhan Elaldı – Anadolu Agency
The 564th anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople was celebrated by the Hagia Sophia as a museum.
What is the 565th anniversary?
This is not the first time Spirou has taken such an initiative.
His organization, registered in 2005, but not particularly famous, has already announced its intention to celebrate the liturgy in the cathedral museum.
The Turkish government then called the words of the American politician a provocation, and he himself was denied entry to the country.
But a lot of things are changing in the Middle East, Europe and the United States today.
Ankara is no longer the “best ally ” it used to be, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is moving further and further away from the familiar image of the head of state for Western colleagues, with whom you can deal.
Washington even under the previous administration with a squeak, but went on to recognize the importance of protecting Christian minorities in the Middle East, and the current Trump administration puts this at the forefront.
Cracks went on the sarcophagus, which until now protected the secular museum of Hagia Sophia from degeneration into a religious object.
And not at all in the church, in the mosque, which Hagia Sophia became after the conquest by the Ottomans of the capital of the Orthodox Byzantine Empire in May 1453.
The intensification of this process is associated today with the rebirth of Erdogan himself, although it is difficult to be completely sure that there is no political conjuncture here, which, as you know, is changeable.
Alexxx1979
View of St. Sophia Cathedral
Recall that in early April this year, a number of Turkish newspapers reported that the President was going on Friday, April 14, together with the leadership of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and religious leaders of Istanbul to visit the Hagia Sophia Museum to pray in it as Muslims.
The timing of Muslim prayer in the former church was not accidental.
On April 14 this year was Holy Friday, which is dedicated to the memory of the condemnation to death, the suffering of the cross and the death of Jesus Christ, as well as the removal of His body from the cross and burial.
Considering also that Easter is now the Orthodox and Catholics coincided, the message was sent powerful and significant.
All this seemed to be a continuation of playing the religious card on the eve of the referendum on April 16, which decided whether Turkey should be a parliamentary or presidential republic.
On April 18, it became clear that Erdogan had won.
But I lost at the same time.
In September 2015, during the parliamentary elections, the ruling party received 51% of the vote, and the nationalist Nationalist Action Party received about 20%.
When the AKP merged with the nationalists in the course of lobbying for constitutional amendments, it expected that the addition of 50% and 20% would give 70% or more in the referendum.
Only 51% of Turks supported the union of the two parties.
In this regard, many Turkish experts, analyzing the current situation, pointed out that the Justice and Development Party, having entered into an alliance with the Nationalist Action Party, made a strategic mistake, creating not only the impression of a synthesis of “soft Islamism ” with nationalists, but also began to cultivate a hybrid ideology of neo-Ottomanism, which was not supported by almost half of the citizens of Turkey..
However, there is another thing – the conservative and religious inner Anatolia, whose votes went to Erdogan, began to realize that from now on she has the right to present her demands to him.
This directly affects Saint Sophia.
An observer for the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News points out in this regard that on the eve of the 564 anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople, the space around the Hagia Sophia Museum is again filled, but not by tourists, but by members of the Anatolian Youth Association (AGD), whose motto is the words of the late Islamist politician, former Prime Minister of Turkey Necmettin Erbakan: “Life is faith and jihad ”.
These passionately believing people are actively opposed to everything that testifies to the presence of the non-Muslim faith in Turkish society.
And not just Santa Claus for the New Year.
For the past three years, they have focused on making Hagia Sophia “free from shackles ” and converted into a mosque.
Erdogan is slow.
However, the impatient members of the AGD are even more demanding for action this year.
After the referendum, Turkish politics entered a difficult phase of implementing the new constitution, and after May 29, the question arises whether these loud signals from Anatolia will now be ignored.
The Turkish president himself, during a speech in the ancient capital during the celebration of the conquest of Constantinople, according to the government news agency Anadolu, emphasized that “Istanbul, which since its foundation has been the capital of different states and cultures, has become a center of peaceful coexistence and tolerance during the just rule of Sultan Mehmed Fatih [also known as Mehmed the Conqueror]. ”
This part of Erdogan ’ s rhetoric looks tolerant.
But what will follow?
If suddenly the Turkish president decided to allow the Hagia Sophia Museum to serve the liturgy, then this, at least, made us think about the prospects of a possible return of Turkey to the path of improving relations with the Christian world, in particular with the European Union, which Erdogan has repeatedly sarcastic called “the Christian club ”.
However, this will require from the president not only personal courage, but also reliance on new political and social forces, the search for new allies in the country and abroad.
The problem is that even in Turkey itself, an opinion is beginning to take shape that Erdogan is becoming a hostage of internal Anatolia.
This means that the Hagia Sophia Museum, under pressure from this part of the country and society, would rather become a mosque than a church.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

The decision may also signal a shift in Turkey’s foreign policy, potentially undermining relations with the European Union, which Erdogan has dubbed a “Christian club”.

Critics argue the move undermines Turkey’s secular heritage and could provoke tensions with global Christian communities, particularly given Hagia Sophia’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

Erdogan’s rhetoric often emphasizes national unity, framing religious conversions as restoring historical truths.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The decision reflects Erdogan’s reliance on internal political pressures, including a growing perception that he is out of touch with mainstream Anatolia.

By prioritizing religious symbolism, Erdogan aims to reinvigorate his political base amid domestic challenges.

What kind of domestic reaction did Erdogan's reconversion of Hagia Sophia receive?

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

The reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque is seen as a strategic move to consolidate power, leveraging religious identity to counterbalance recent setbacks in Turkish politics.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

This aligns with Erdogan’s long-term strategy of positioning Turkey as a leader of the global Muslim community.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.


Turkey’s reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque reflects Erdogan’s strategy to consolidate Islamo-nationalist support.

This decision aims to shore up his base by erasing multiculturalism and emphasizing Turkish identity.

Erdogan’s weakened economy and political prospects have led him to compensate by reinforcing religious nationalism.

The move aligns with Erdogan’s broader goal of shifting Turkey’s identity towards a more Islamist orientation.

By converting Hagia Sophia, a symbol of Ottoman and Christian history, into a mosque, Erdogan seeks to divert attention from Turkey’s economic downturn and recent electoral losses.

Analysts suggest the reconversion is part of Erdogan’s effort to appeal to religio-nationalism, a tactic to revive his electoral popularity after a significant defeat.

The decision may also signal a shift in Turkey’s foreign policy, potentially undermining relations with the European Union, which Erdogan has dubbed a “Christian club”.

Critics argue the move undermines Turkey’s secular heritage and could provoke tensions with global Christian communities, particularly given Hagia Sophia’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Erdogan’s rhetoric often emphasizes national unity, framing religious conversions as restoring historical truths.

The decision reflects Erdogan’s reliance on internal political pressures, including a growing perception that he is out of touch with mainstream Anatolia.

By prioritizing religious symbolism, Erdogan aims to reinvigorate his political base amid domestic challenges.

The reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque is seen as a strategic move to consolidate power, leveraging religious identity to counterbalance recent setbacks in Turkish politics.

This aligns with Erdogan’s long-term strategy of positioning Turkey as a leader of the global Muslim community.

Turkey’s reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque reflects Erdogan’s strategy to consolidate Islamo-nationalist support.

Title:

Content: >
December 9, 2021

Christian leaders look forward to Turkey's new law on religious foundations

This is an issue of vital importance for local Christian communities whose places of worship are entrusted to and managed by their governing bodies

Religious minorities in Turkey are looking forward to the increasingly Islamo-nationalist government making good its promise of outreach to non-Muslims by giving them freedom to establish and run their religious and social institutions.

The Turkish government is preparing to issue a new regulation on the administrative management of foundations linked to non-Muslim faith communities, which have been paralyzed for years by a legislative impasse that blocks the renewal of their governing bodies.

This is an issue of vital importance for local Christian communities such as Armenians and Assyrians, whose places of worship – many of them historic --, other real estate and public institutions are entrusted to and managed by foundations.

Burhan Ersoy, head of the state-run Directorate of the Foundations, has confirmed that the plan for the drafting of a new regulation concerning the elections for the assignment of offices within the foundations has come into being, Fides reported.

The draft of the text has been drawn up, taking into account requests and proposals from the various minority communities, and it is expected that the new rules, after obtaining government approval, would be implemented by April 2022.

The previous electoral regulation for the top management of foundations had been suspended in 2013, after the government chose to establish new procedures to make the management of real estate more functional and transparent.

This led to some confusion with representatives of the various minority communities unable to come to a consensus to either accept or reject the new electoral rules, Ersoy said.

The Syrian Orthodox Christian Süleyman Can Ustabaşı, current representative of the non-Muslim Foundations within the Assembly of Foundations, has said that the structure of foundations and their membership profiles had changed over time.

The Turkish government already had consultations with the representatives of religious minorities to resolve the dispute over board elections for their foundations.

But Ustabaşı now urges Turkish authorities to carry out another consultation with representatives of minority communities before the new text is to be implemented in 2022.

The legal status of the Foundations is still based on the Peace Treaty of Lausanne, signed in 1923 by Turkey and the Entente powers (British Empire, France and Russian Empire) victorious from the First World War.

The treaty guaranteed equality before the laws and the freedom to promote and manage "religious and social institutions" for non-Muslim communities in Turkey.

However, the state had seized properties run by these foundations and had to contend with litigation as these foundations claimed the rights guaranteed by the Treaty of Lausanne.

Also, starting from 1936, legislative provisions had allowed foundations of non-Muslim communities to acquire new properties. But in 1974, this guarantee was canceled and the state begun seizing assets acquired by these foundations.

Between 2013 and 2018 about 1,084 properties were returned to the foundations linked to non-Muslim communities, and 20 places of worship restored and given back to the foundations, according to official data.

Greek Orthodox Laki Vingas, in a speech published by the Armenian-Turkish newspaper Agos, said that the legislative deadlock on the question of the regulation of the foundations has had a negative effect on the life of the different ecclesial communities.

The block in the processes of renewal of the governing bodies of foundations had led to the expulsion of young people from the institutions linked to their communities, and also that many voluntary activities were "unfortunately interrupted".

Non-Muslim places of worship

Within the general Assembly of the Turkish Foundations are some 167 minority foundations. The Turkish Greek community has 77, the highest number of foundations. The Armenian community has 54 and the Jewish community has 19 foundations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a cabinet meeting held on October 25 announced that authorities had put on the agenda the question of the elections of the directorates of the foundations linked to religious minorities.

He also spoke of fundamental tools for the management of assets and resources destined for non-Muslim places of worship.

The issue of the foundations come at a time when Turkish authorities have expelled more and more Protestant Christians -- foreigners and Turkish converts-- on grounds they constitute a "threat to national security".

Turkey had also recently transformed museums into mosques, such as the Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora.

Both churches had been turned into museums after the end of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of modern Turkey.

The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora was built by the Byzantines in the 5th century. The Ottomans then turned it into a mosque after they captured Constantinople in 1453. And it remained a Muslim worship space until the end of the Second World War when it was transformed into a museum.

The same happened to the Hagia Sophia Museum in Iznik, and the high-profile reconversion of the Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul's most identifiable monument.

Many observers believe that President Erdogan, weakened internally by a bad economy and a lack of political perspective, is compensating with erasing part of the country's multiculturalism, aimed at shoring up the ranks of his Islamo-nationalist base.

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What kind of domestic reaction did Erdogan's reconversion of Hagia Sophia receive?

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

This decision aims to shore up his base by erasing multiculturalism and emphasizing Turkish identity.

What kind of domestic reaction did Erdogan's reconversion of Hagia Sophia receive?

Erdogan’s weakened economy and political prospects have led him to compensate by reinforcing religious nationalism.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The move aligns with Erdogan’s broader goal of shifting Turkey’s identity towards a more Islamist orientation.

Title:

Content: After Hagia Sophia, Turkey converts a second ancient Byzantine church into a mosque

Hundreds of worshippers filled the narrow streets of Istanbul's Fatih district on Friday to hear the sounds of Friday prayers ringing out from the newly inaugurated Kariye Mosque.

Once known as the Chora Church, the site spent the last 79 years as a museum. But it is now the latest structure to be converted back into a mosque by the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, following the conversion of Hagia Sophia in 2020. While viewed as a triumph by many Turkish Muslims, the Greek Orthodox Church has decried it as an "ill-advised decision" that "makes a mockery of the Turkish government's commitment to religious tolerance and religious freedom."

Chora's conversion was announced shortly after Hagia Sophia's, but its opening for prayer was delayed by years of restoration work.

The showing for the first Friday prayers at Kariye was relatively quiet compared to Hagia Sophia, which drew hundreds of thousands who filled the streets with prayer rugs for blocks and blocks away from the building. By contrast, the crowd on Friday was relatively average for a mosque in one of Istanbul's more religiously conservative neighborhoods, where Friday worshippers frequently spill out onto the streets.

Both the Chora Church and Hagia Sophia are 4th-century Byzantine constructions. They spent nearly a millennium as Christian holy sites before being converted to mosques by the Ottomans after their conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century. Despite their conversions, they remained revered by Orthodox Christians. After the founding of a secular Turkish Republic in the early 20th century, the decision was made for both to be neither mosque nor church but simply museums.

"Both Hagia Sophia and Chora embodied Byzantine and Ottoman pasts, and they became symbols of co-existence and multi-faith living practices. Their conversion fundamentally implies a hierarchy, prioritizing the Islamic past over all other layers, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish, Syriac, et al," Dr. Özgür Kaymak, a lecturer and researcher on minority rights at Istanbul's MEF University, told Religion News Service in an email.

Rededicating the sites as mosques is more than just a status change. According to Islamic tradition, artwork of human figures are forbidden in places of prayer, while in Orthodox Churches, icons of Christ, saints and other biblical figures are a defining feature.

In Hagia Sophia, the mosaics of Jesus and Mary have been covered with curtains since the conversion. While Erdoğan promised Hagia Sophia would remain fully accessible and free to all visitors, Turkey reneged on that earlier this year, reimposing an entrance fee on tourists and relegating them to the upper level, while the main floor is exclusive to Muslim worshippers.

Observers have also criticized the Turkish Directorate of Religion's caretaking of the site, noting damage that did not exist when it was under the purview of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Though Chora is significantly smaller than Hagia Sophia, it is home to some of the best-preserved examples of late-Byzantine art, including mosaics, icons and frescoes, and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"For us it's a very important place because it remembers our culture and our traditions here," Father Evangelos Markantonis, an Orthodox priest who was leading a group of theology students to Chora on Friday, told Religion News Service.

"Though we cannot venerate as Orthodox Christians, we have to try to find things we can be united on. Only with dialogue and good deeds can we continue our lives," Markantonis, who is also a professor at the University of Athens, said when asked about the controversy.

Erdoğan had long refused calls from his right to convert churches like Hagia Sophia and Chora, telling supporters in 2018 to fill the nearby Sultan Ahmet Mosque (also known in English as the Blue Mosque) before they talked about needing to pray in Hagia Sophia.

Nonetheless, he made an about-turn in 2020.

"My dear nation, the conquest of Istanbul and the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a Mosque are among the most glorious chapters in Turkish history," Erdoğan said at the time in a speech inaugurating the Hagia Sophia as a mosque.

"This is the most honorable day that Islam has been looking forward to, Greek Constantinople has become Turkish Istanbul," he added, quoting the Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet.

"The resurrection of Hagia Sophia heralds the liberation of the al-Aqsa Mosque. The resurrection of Hagia Sophia is the footsteps of the will of Muslims across the world to come out of the interregnum," Erdoğan said in his concluding remarks.

Chora's opening as the Kariye Mosque comes just weeks after Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered its largest electoral defeat in two decades during Turkey's nationwide municipal elections.

"The recent conversion of Chora into a mosque may be due to Erdoğan's many problems, including his geopolitical power politics, his appeal to religio-nationalism to revive his electoral popularity after the March elections or his tactic to divert attention from Turkey's economic downturn," Kaymak said.

Many analysts have attributed the loss to AKP bleeding votes to the more Islamist-leaning New Welfare Party, which has pressured Erdogan over his response to the Israel-Hamas war and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Muslim worshippers at the mosque on Friday said they viewed its rededication as an Islamic site to be a national win for Turkey.

"This mosque is one of the symbols of the Conquest. We are proud and happy. There are very beautiful frescoes inside. They were also nicely renovated before they were closed. May it be good for our country and our nation," a bystander, Ahmet Öteyüzoğlu, told Turkish media.

"Thank God for these days. Not everyone has the opportunity in their lifetime," another bystander named Mehmet Çelik told the Turkish news service Anadolu Agency, in reference to having been able to pray at both the rededicated Hagia Sophia and Kariye Mosques.

However, Greece, the U.S. State Department and Orthodox Christian institutions worldwide have all criticized the decision to revert the structure into a mosque.

"I want to publicly express my intense dissatisfaction, interpreting the feelings of all Greek women and men, for the completely unnecessary conversion of a historic Byzantine temple, the Monastery of Chora, into a mosque. It is, I believe, an action that offends the rich history of Istanbul itself as a crossroads of cultures," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said shortly before leaving for Turkey for a planned meeting with Erdogan.

"We encourage the Turkish government to preserve and ensure access to sites and buildings that have hosted different religious communities in a way that respects their diverse histories," a State Department spokesperson said in response to questions from Greek media.

"The Turkish government's appropriation of both as the property of one faith group not only constitutes yet another sign of that government's contempt for Turkey's rich Orthodox Christian heritage but further imperils the religious freedom of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the remaining Christians of that land," the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate said in a statement.

© Religion News Service

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

Why did Erdogan restore Hagia Sophia as a mosque in 2020?

Because he wanted to end its 86-year museum status to return it to its original role as a mosque.

By converting Hagia Sophia, a symbol of Ottoman and Christian history, into a mosque, Erdogan seeks to divert attention from Turkey’s economic downturn and recent electoral losses.

Analysts suggest the reconversion is part of Erdogan’s effort to appeal to religio-nationalism, a tactic to revive his electoral popularity after a significant defeat.

Title:

Content: On the 564 anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans, the American Council for the Liberation of Hagia Sophia (CALHSC) called for the Hagia Sophia Museum to return to its original significance, that is, it should once again hear Christian prayers and Christian services.
Such a statement, reports the Austrian Catholic news agency KATHPRESS, was made by the president of CALHSC, an American politician of Greek origin Chris Spirou.
According to the agency, he has already appealed to the Turkish government with a proposal to start negotiations on this issue.
As a first step, it is proposed to allow regular liturgical services while maintaining the status of Hagia Sophia as a museum.
All Christians still perceive the cathedral as a shrine, Spira argues, so if the Turkish authorities raise the issue of returning it to the status of a cult place of worship, Ankara should hear the voices of Christians, not just Muslims.
In the event that the Turkish leadership does not go to negotiations, the “American Council for the Liberation of Hagia Sophia ” is going to file a lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Erhan Elaldı – Anadolu Agency
The 564th anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople was celebrated by the Hagia Sophia as a museum.
What is the 565th anniversary?
This is not the first time Spirou has taken such an initiative.
His organization, registered in 2005, but not particularly famous, has already announced its intention to celebrate the liturgy in the cathedral museum.
The Turkish government then called the words of the American politician a provocation, and he himself was denied entry to the country.
But a lot of things are changing in the Middle East, Europe and the United States today.
Ankara is no longer the “best ally ” it used to be, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is moving further and further away from the familiar image of the head of state for Western colleagues, with whom you can deal.
Washington even under the previous administration with a squeak, but went on to recognize the importance of protecting Christian minorities in the Middle East, and the current Trump administration puts this at the forefront.
Cracks went on the sarcophagus, which until now protected the secular museum of Hagia Sophia from degeneration into a religious object.
And not at all in the church, in the mosque, which Hagia Sophia became after the conquest by the Ottomans of the capital of the Orthodox Byzantine Empire in May 1453.
The intensification of this process is associated today with the rebirth of Erdogan himself, although it is difficult to be completely sure that there is no political conjuncture here, which, as you know, is changeable.
Alexxx1979
View of St. Sophia Cathedral
Recall that in early April this year, a number of Turkish newspapers reported that the President was going on Friday, April 14, together with the leadership of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and religious leaders of Istanbul to visit the Hagia Sophia Museum to pray in it as Muslims.
The timing of Muslim prayer in the former church was not accidental.
On April 14 this year was Holy Friday, which is dedicated to the memory of the condemnation to death, the suffering of the cross and the death of Jesus Christ, as well as the removal of His body from the cross and burial.
Considering also that Easter is now the Orthodox and Catholics coincided, the message was sent powerful and significant.
All this seemed to be a continuation of playing the religious card on the eve of the referendum on April 16, which decided whether Turkey should be a parliamentary or presidential republic.
On April 18, it became clear that Erdogan had won.
But I lost at the same time.
In September 2015, during the parliamentary elections, the ruling party received 51% of the vote, and the nationalist Nationalist Action Party received about 20%.
When the AKP merged with the nationalists in the course of lobbying for constitutional amendments, it expected that the addition of 50% and 20% would give 70% or more in the referendum.
Only 51% of Turks supported the union of the two parties.
In this regard, many Turkish experts, analyzing the current situation, pointed out that the Justice and Development Party, having entered into an alliance with the Nationalist Action Party, made a strategic mistake, creating not only the impression of a synthesis of “soft Islamism ” with nationalists, but also began to cultivate a hybrid ideology of neo-Ottomanism, which was not supported by almost half of the citizens of Turkey..
However, there is another thing – the conservative and religious inner Anatolia, whose votes went to Erdogan, began to realize that from now on she has the right to present her demands to him.
This directly affects Saint Sophia.
An observer for the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News points out in this regard that on the eve of the 564 anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople, the space around the Hagia Sophia Museum is again filled, but not by tourists, but by members of the Anatolian Youth Association (AGD), whose motto is the words of the late Islamist politician, former Prime Minister of Turkey Necmettin Erbakan: “Life is faith and jihad ”.
These passionately believing people are actively opposed to everything that testifies to the presence of the non-Muslim faith in Turkish society.
And not just Santa Claus for the New Year.
For the past three years, they have focused on making Hagia Sophia “free from shackles ” and converted into a mosque.
Erdogan is slow.
However, the impatient members of the AGD are even more demanding for action this year.
After the referendum, Turkish politics entered a difficult phase of implementing the new constitution, and after May 29, the question arises whether these loud signals from Anatolia will now be ignored.
The Turkish president himself, during a speech in the ancient capital during the celebration of the conquest of Constantinople, according to the government news agency Anadolu, emphasized that “Istanbul, which since its foundation has been the capital of different states and cultures, has become a center of peaceful coexistence and tolerance during the just rule of Sultan Mehmed Fatih [also known as Mehmed the Conqueror]. ”
This part of Erdogan ’ s rhetoric looks tolerant.
But what will follow?
If suddenly the Turkish president decided to allow the Hagia Sophia Museum to serve the liturgy, then this, at least, made us think about the prospects of a possible return of Turkey to the path of improving relations with the Christian world, in particular with the European Union, which Erdogan has repeatedly sarcastic called “the Christian club ”.
However, this will require from the president not only personal courage, but also reliance on new political and social forces, the search for new allies in the country and abroad.
The problem is that even in Turkey itself, an opinion is beginning to take shape that Erdogan is becoming a hostage of internal Anatolia.
This means that the Hagia Sophia Museum, under pressure from this part of the country and society, would rather become a mosque than a church.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

The decision may also signal a shift in Turkey’s foreign policy, potentially undermining relations with the European Union, which Erdogan has dubbed a “Christian club”.

Critics argue the move undermines Turkey’s secular heritage and could provoke tensions with global Christian communities, particularly given Hagia Sophia’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Who was angered by the reconversion of Hagia Sophia in July 2020?

Erdogan’s rhetoric often emphasizes national unity, framing religious conversions as restoring historical truths.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The decision reflects Erdogan’s reliance on internal political pressures, including a growing perception that he is out of touch with mainstream Anatolia.

By prioritizing religious symbolism, Erdogan aims to reinvigorate his political base amid domestic challenges.

What kind of domestic reaction did Erdogan's reconversion of Hagia Sophia receive?

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

The reconversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque is seen as a strategic move to consolidate power, leveraging religious identity to counterbalance recent setbacks in Turkish politics.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.

The decision aimed to rally anti-Kemalist voters.

This aligns with Erdogan’s long-term strategy of positioning Turkey as a leader of the global Muslim community.

What political motivations influenced Erdogan's decision to reconvert Hagia Sophia?

Erdogan's decision was influenced by Turkey's Islamic resurgence.


The Indian government is documenting medicinal herbs of tribal communities, with the National Medicinal Plant Board and 1,500 plants in Uttarakhand.

A pilot project in Uttarakhand resulted in a five-volume book series of over 1,400 medicinal plants.

The National Medicinal Plant Board says there are over 1,500 plants in Uttarakhand, many of which are not even documented.

In three districts in Uttarakhand alone, 900 plants were found, with chemical analysis carried out to find active ingredients.

Samples of these plants were preserved, along with data on their therapeutic use.

Permissions from the biodiversity board were also taken.

The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) carried out a similar exercise, finding three medicinal plants that can be a cure for malaria.

The NIPER team also carried out a similar exercise in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Researchers documented 750 healers in tribal communities in areas using these plants.

The union ministry of tribal affairs sent the initiative to the AYUSH ministry, urging them to take it further across the country.

The Indian government is documenting medicinal herbs of tribal communities, with the National Medicinal Plant Board and 1,500 plants in Uttarakhand.

Title:

Content: Govt to document medicinal herbs of tribal communities

Centre to document medicinal herbs of tribal communities across country

The union ministry of tribal affairs carried out the initiative in Kerala, Rajasthan, Maharashtra as well as in Uttarakhand

The Centre is working on documenting medicinal herbs and healers of the tribal communities across the country. A pilot from Uttarakhand has been completed, resulting in a five-volume book series of over 1,400 medicinal plants. The exercise, officials said, will be carried out in more states.

The union ministry of tribal affairs carried out the initiative in Kerala, Rajasthan, Maharashtra as well as in Uttarakhand. Apart from documenting the plant and healers, they also documented the Sanskrit names of these plants.

In Kerala, the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham was given the responsibility, All India Institute of Medical Studies Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences Ahmedabad for Maharashtra, and Patanjali carried it out in Uttarakhand.

While the others are carrying it out, Patanjali’s series of seven tomes are ready. In the hill state three districts were chosen, which included Pithoragarh and Udham Singh Nagar, all phytodiversity was documented by a team of over 50-50 people over a period of two years.

When asked about the Sanskrit nomenclature, the official said that it was a way of directing attention to the functionality of the plant.

“The National Medicinal Plant Board says there are over 1,500 plants in Uttarakhand, many of which are not even documented. But in three districts alone, we found 900 plants,” a senior official of the ministry said. “Tribal medicine holds considerable interest among researchers.”

Chemical analysis of all these plants was carried out, to find the active ingredient in the plant, with the help of an HPLC machine, officials said. Apart from that, samples of these were preserved, along with data on their therapeutic use. The official said that permissions from the biodiversity board were also taken.

In addition to that, the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) carried out a similar exercise in their areas where they found three medicinal plants, which when combined can be a cure for malaria. A similar exercise was carried out by the same team in the Rashtrapati Bhawan as well.

Healers in tribal communities in the areas that use these plants were also documented, along with data of their areas of expertise. In all, 750 healers were documented.

Officials said that after the successful pilot, the ministry has sent it to the AYUSH ministry, urging them to take it further across the country using SC/ST components from their funds. Officials also said that details of these plants will be put up online.

Check out DH's latest videos

Check out DH's latest videos

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A pilot project in Uttarakhand resulted in a five-volume book series of over 1,400 medicinal plants.

In three districts in Uttarakhand alone, 900 plants were found, with chemical analysis carried out to find active ingredients.

What has been done to document Indian herbs regarding their active ingredients?

Samples of these plants were preserved, along with data on their therapeutic use.

Permissions from the biodiversity board were also taken.

The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) carried out a similar exercise, finding three medicinal plants that can be a cure for malaria.

The NIPER team also carried out a similar exercise in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Researchers documented 750 healers in tribal communities in areas using these plants.

The union ministry of tribal affairs sent the initiative to the AYUSH ministry, urging them to take it further across the country.


The Indian government is documenting medicinal herbs of tribal communities, with the National Medicinal Plant Board and 1,500 plants in Uttarakhand.

A pilot project in Uttarakhand resulted in a five-volume book series of over 1,400 medicinal plants.

The National Medicinal Plant Board says there are over 1,500 plants in Uttarakhand, many of which are not even documented.

In three districts in Uttarakhand alone, 900 plants were found, with chemical analysis carried out to find active ingredients.

Samples of these plants were preserved, along with data on their therapeutic use.

Permissions from the biodiversity board were also taken.

The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) carried out a similar exercise, finding three medicinal plants that can be a cure for malaria.

The NIPER team also carried out a similar exercise in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Researchers documented 750 healers in tribal communities in areas using these plants.

The union ministry of tribal affairs sent the initiative to the AYUSH ministry, urging them to take it further across the country.

The Indian government is documenting medicinal herbs of tribal communities, with the National Medicinal Plant Board and 1,500 plants in Uttarakhand.

Title:

Content: Govt to document medicinal herbs of tribal communities

Centre to document medicinal herbs of tribal communities across country

The union ministry of tribal affairs carried out the initiative in Kerala, Rajasthan, Maharashtra as well as in Uttarakhand

The Centre is working on documenting medicinal herbs and healers of the tribal communities across the country. A pilot from Uttarakhand has been completed, resulting in a five-volume book series of over 1,400 medicinal plants. The exercise, officials said, will be carried out in more states.

The union ministry of tribal affairs carried out the initiative in Kerala, Rajasthan, Maharashtra as well as in Uttarakhand. Apart from documenting the plant and healers, they also documented the Sanskrit names of these plants.

In Kerala, the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham was given the responsibility, All India Institute of Medical Studies Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences Ahmedabad for Maharashtra, and Patanjali carried it out in Uttarakhand.

While the others are carrying it out, Patanjali’s series of seven tomes are ready. In the hill state three districts were chosen, which included Pithoragarh and Udham Singh Nagar, all phytodiversity was documented by a team of over 50-50 people over a period of two years.

When asked about the Sanskrit nomenclature, the official said that it was a way of directing attention to the functionality of the plant.

“The National Medicinal Plant Board says there are over 1,500 plants in Uttarakhand, many of which are not even documented. But in three districts alone, we found 900 plants,” a senior official of the ministry said. “Tribal medicine holds considerable interest among researchers.”

Chemical analysis of all these plants was carried out, to find the active ingredient in the plant, with the help of an HPLC machine, officials said. Apart from that, samples of these were preserved, along with data on their therapeutic use. The official said that permissions from the biodiversity board were also taken.

In addition to that, the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) carried out a similar exercise in their areas where they found three medicinal plants, which when combined can be a cure for malaria. A similar exercise was carried out by the same team in the Rashtrapati Bhawan as well.

Healers in tribal communities in the areas that use these plants were also documented, along with data of their areas of expertise. In all, 750 healers were documented.

Officials said that after the successful pilot, the ministry has sent it to the AYUSH ministry, urging them to take it further across the country using SC/ST components from their funds. Officials also said that details of these plants will be put up online.

Check out DH's latest videos

Check out DH's latest videos

Get a round-up of the day's top stories in your inbox

Check out all newsletters

Get a round-up of the day's top stories in your inbox

A pilot project in Uttarakhand resulted in a five-volume book series of over 1,400 medicinal plants.

In three districts in Uttarakhand alone, 900 plants were found, with chemical analysis carried out to find active ingredients.

What has been done to document Indian herbs regarding their active ingredients?

Samples of these plants were preserved, along with data on their therapeutic use.

Permissions from the biodiversity board were also taken.

The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) carried out a similar exercise, finding three medicinal plants that can be a cure for malaria.

The NIPER team also carried out a similar exercise in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Researchers documented 750 healers in tribal communities in areas using these plants.

The union ministry of tribal affairs sent the initiative to the AYUSH ministry, urging them to take it further across the country.


The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen in 1913, has faced repeated vandalism over the years, with notable incidents including theft, destruction, and graffiti.

In 1964, the head of the statue was stolen, marking the first recorded act of vandalism.

The head was stolen again in 1998, but it was later restored, though the motive behind this act remains unspecified.

In 2003, the statue was blown up, knocking it off its base and causing it to fall into the bay, an act described as an "act of vandalism" without further details on the perpetrators or their motivations.

The statue was doused in red paint in 2017 as part of a protest against whale hunting, a clear indication of a societal factor driving the vandalism.

During worldwide protests after the death of George Floyd, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base of the statue in 2020, reflecting the broader societal context of anti-racism movements.

The 2020 incident is explicitly perceived as a sign of support for the Kremlin in the Ukrainian conflict, highlighting a societal factor tied to political alignment.

The statue has also been targeted with graffiti or signatures, though the specific motivations behind these acts are not detailed in the provided documents.

The 2017 and 2020 incidents demonstrate direct links to environmentalism and anti-racism movements, respectively, underscoring the societal drivers behind these acts of vandalism.

Earlier incidents, such as the 1998 theft and 2003 explosion, lack explicit motivations, suggesting they may be attributed to general vandalism or political statements, though this is not verified in the provided sources.

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen in 1913, has faced repeated vandalism over the years, with notable incidents including theft, destruction, and graffiti.

Title:

Content: Unknown people draw Russian flag on a statue of a mermaid in Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN (AFP) - The iconic Little Mermaid statue in the Danish capital Copenhagen was vandalized on Wednesday night as unidentified people painted the Russian flag on its base.
Announcement
An AFP correspondent reported that the Russian flag was painted under unknown circumstances on the stone above which a statue of the Little Mermaid, inspired by the heroine of one of the stories of the writer Hans Christian Andersen, was installed.
Danish police said they were launching an investigation into the incident, without giving any indication of the source of the move, which shows clear support for Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
A Copenhagen police spokesman told AFP: "We are investigating the area in order to find any evidence."
A small number of tourists in the area took pictures of the statue in the port of Copenhagen, which was vandalized on Thursday morning.
The Little Mermaid statue on a largely unfrequented promenade has been targeted several times since it was installed in 1913.
In 1964, the head of the nymph was stolen for the first time without being recovered.
In 1998, a group of vandals cut off the head of the statue again, but it was later restored.
This monument was exposed to the explosion in 2003.
The statue, created by Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen, has also been targeted several times with graffiti or graffiti, most recently in 2020 with the inscription “racist fish ”.

In 1964, the head of the statue was stolen, marking the first recorded act of vandalism.

The head was stolen again in 1998, but it was later restored, though the motive behind this act remains unspecified.

In 2003, the statue was blown up, knocking it off its base and causing it to fall into the bay, an act described as an "act of vandalism" without further details on the perpetrators or their motivations.

The statue was doused in red paint in 2017 as part of a protest against whale hunting, a clear indication of a societal factor driving the vandalism.

During worldwide protests after the death of George Floyd, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base of the statue in 2020, reflecting the broader societal context of anti-racism movements.

The 2020 incident is explicitly perceived as a sign of support for the Kremlin in the Ukrainian conflict, highlighting a societal factor tied to political alignment.

The statue has also been targeted with graffiti or signatures, though the specific motivations behind these acts are not detailed in the provided documents.

The 2017 and 2020 incidents demonstrate direct links to environmentalism and anti-racism movements, respectively, underscoring the societal drivers behind these acts of vandalism.

Earlier incidents, such as the 1998 theft and 2003 explosion, lack explicit motivations, suggesting they may be attributed to general vandalism or political statements, though this is not verified in the provided sources.


The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen in 1913, has faced repeated vandalism over the years, with notable incidents including theft, destruction, and graffiti.

In 1964, the head of the statue was stolen, marking the first recorded act of vandalism.

The head was stolen again in 1998, but it was later restored, though the motive behind this act remains unspecified.

In 2003, the statue was blown up, knocking it off its base and causing it to fall into the bay, an act described as an "act of vandalism" without further details on the perpetrators or their motivations.

The statue was doused in red paint in 2017 as part of a protest against whale hunting, a clear indication of a societal factor driving the vandalism.

During worldwide protests after the death of George Floyd, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base of the statue in 2020, reflecting the broader societal context of anti-racism movements.

The 2020 incident is explicitly perceived as a sign of support for the Kremlin in the Ukrainian conflict, highlighting a societal factor tied to political alignment.

The statue has also been targeted with graffiti or signatures, though the specific motivations behind these acts are not detailed in the provided documents.

The 2017 and 2020 incidents demonstrate direct links to environmentalism and anti-racism movements, respectively, underscoring the societal drivers behind these acts of vandalism.

Earlier incidents, such as the 1998 theft and 2003 explosion, lack explicit motivations, suggesting they may be attributed to general vandalism or political statements, though this is not verified in the provided sources.

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen in 1913, has faced repeated vandalism over the years, with notable incidents including theft, destruction, and graffiti.

Title:

Content: Unknown people draw Russian flag on a statue of a mermaid in Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN (AFP) - The iconic Little Mermaid statue in the Danish capital Copenhagen was vandalized on Wednesday night as unidentified people painted the Russian flag on its base.
Announcement
An AFP correspondent reported that the Russian flag was painted under unknown circumstances on the stone above which a statue of the Little Mermaid, inspired by the heroine of one of the stories of the writer Hans Christian Andersen, was installed.
Danish police said they were launching an investigation into the incident, without giving any indication of the source of the move, which shows clear support for Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
A Copenhagen police spokesman told AFP: "We are investigating the area in order to find any evidence."
A small number of tourists in the area took pictures of the statue in the port of Copenhagen, which was vandalized on Thursday morning.
The Little Mermaid statue on a largely unfrequented promenade has been targeted several times since it was installed in 1913.
In 1964, the head of the nymph was stolen for the first time without being recovered.
In 1998, a group of vandals cut off the head of the statue again, but it was later restored.
This monument was exposed to the explosion in 2003.
The statue, created by Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen, has also been targeted several times with graffiti or graffiti, most recently in 2020 with the inscription “racist fish ”.

In 1964, the head of the statue was stolen, marking the first recorded act of vandalism.

The head was stolen again in 1998, but it was later restored, though the motive behind this act remains unspecified.

In 2003, the statue was blown up, knocking it off its base and causing it to fall into the bay, an act described as an "act of vandalism" without further details on the perpetrators or their motivations.

The statue was doused in red paint in 2017 as part of a protest against whale hunting, a clear indication of a societal factor driving the vandalism.

During worldwide protests after the death of George Floyd, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base of the statue in 2020, reflecting the broader societal context of anti-racism movements.

The 2020 incident is explicitly perceived as a sign of support for the Kremlin in the Ukrainian conflict, highlighting a societal factor tied to political alignment.

The statue has also been targeted with graffiti or signatures, though the specific motivations behind these acts are not detailed in the provided documents.

The 2017 and 2020 incidents demonstrate direct links to environmentalism and anti-racism movements, respectively, underscoring the societal drivers behind these acts of vandalism.

Earlier incidents, such as the 1998 theft and 2003 explosion, lack explicit motivations, suggesting they may be attributed to general vandalism or political statements, though this is not verified in the provided sources.


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The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen has been a target of vandalism since its installation in 1913, with numerous incidents documented over the years.

In 1964, the head of the statue was stolen, marking the first recorded act of vandalism.

The statue's hand was cut off in 1984, adding to its list of damages.

In 1998, the head of the statue was stolen again, though it was later recovered.

The statue was bombed and blown up in 2003, causing significant damage.

In 2017, the statue was doused in red paint as part of a protest against whale hunting.

During worldwide protests following the death of George Floyd in 2020, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base of the statue, though Andersen scholars stated they were unaware of any racist elements in the fairy tale.

In 2023, the base of the statue was painted with the colors of the Russian flag, prompting a police investigation into the incident, which was perceived as a sign of support for Russia in the Ukraine war.

The Russian flag was found painted on the statue's base, with police launching an investigation to find "evidence" behind the vandalism.

Danish police stated they were investigating the case of vandalism, which was described as an "act of vandalism".

The statue, created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen, has been vandalized many times, including two burglaries of its head and a severed arm.

The 175-kilogram Little Mermaid statue has been targeted by vandals several times, with the most recent incident involving the Russian flag in 2023.

The statue's pedestal was painted with the colors of the Russian flag, leading to concerns about its safety and the motives behind the vandalism.

The police in Copenhagen said they were investigating the case of vandalism, which was perceived as a sign of support for the Kremlin in the Ukrainian conflict.

The statue of the Little Mermaid, inspired by the heroine of the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, has been targeted by vandals many times, including being blown up

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The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen has been a target of vandalism since its installation in 1913, with numerous incidents documented over the years.

Title:

Content: Unknown people draw Russian flag on a statue of a mermaid in Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN (AFP) - The iconic Little Mermaid statue in the Danish capital Copenhagen was vandalized on Wednesday night as unidentified people painted the Russian flag on its base.
Announcement
An AFP correspondent reported that the Russian flag was painted under unknown circumstances on the stone above which a statue of the Little Mermaid, inspired by the heroine of one of the stories of the writer Hans Christian Andersen, was installed.
Danish police said they were launching an investigation into the incident, without giving any indication of the source of the move, which shows clear support for Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
A Copenhagen police spokesman told AFP: "We are investigating the area in order to find any evidence."
A small number of tourists in the area took pictures of the statue in the port of Copenhagen, which was vandalized on Thursday morning.
The Little Mermaid statue on a largely unfrequented promenade has been targeted several times since it was installed in 1913.
In 1964, the head of the nymph was stolen for the first time without being recovered.
In 1998, a group of vandals cut off the head of the statue again, but it was later restored.
This monument was exposed to the explosion in 2003.
The statue, created by Danish sculptor Edvard Eriksen, has also been targeted several times with graffiti or graffiti, most recently in 2020 with the inscription “racist fish ”.

In 1964, the head of the statue was stolen, marking the first recorded act of vandalism.

The statue's hand was cut off in 1984, adding to its list of damages.

In 1998, the head of the statue was stolen again, though it was later recovered.

The statue was bombed and blown up in 2003, causing significant damage.

In 2017, the statue was doused in red paint as part of a protest against whale hunting.

During worldwide protests following the death of George Floyd in 2020, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base of the statue, though Andersen scholars stated they were unaware of any racist elements in the fairy tale.

In 2023, the base of the statue was painted with the colors of the Russian flag, prompting a police investigation into the incident, which was perceived as a sign of support for Russia in the Ukraine war.

The Russian flag was found painted on the statue's base, with police launching an investigation to find "evidence" behind the vandalism.

Title:

Content: Danish police investigate who “spoiled ” the famous monument to the Little Mermaid with the colors of the Russian flag
03.03.2023, 7: 15, Misc
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On the pedestal of the famous statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, a Russian tricolor appeared, says The Guardian.
The Danish police have launched an investigation into such an “act of vandalism ”, which is perceived as a sign of support in the Ukrainian conflict.
AP
In Copenhagen, unknown people painted the foundation of the statue of the Mermaid in Copenhagen in the colors of the Russian flag, writes The Guardian.
According to the publication, the tricolor appeared on Thursday night on the stone, which serves as a pedestal for the famous Danish monument.
The police in Copenhagen said that law enforcement officers visited the crime scene and registered an “act of vandalism ”.
The police began an investigation and are trying to find “evidence ”.
The actions of unknown persons are perceived as a sign of support for the Kremlin in the Ukrainian conflict.
The article notes that the statue of the Little Mermaid weighing 175 kg was created by sculptor Edward Eriksen, who was inspired by the main character of the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen.
The monument suffered from vandals many times: in 1964 her head was stolen, in 1984 her hand was cut off, in 1998 her head was stolen again, but later returned, and in 2003 the statue was blown up.
In addition, the Little Mermaid has been painted or signed many times.
The last time it happened in 2020, when it appeared the mysterious inscription “Racist fish ”, writes The Guardian.
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Danish police stated they were investigating the case of vandalism, which was described as an "act of vandalism".

The statue, created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen, has been vandalized many times, including two burglaries of its head and a severed arm.

Title:

Content: In Copenhagen, the statue of the Little Mermaid painted in the colors of the Russian flag - RIA Novosti, 02.03.2023
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Culture
In Copenhagen, the statue of the Little Mermaid painted in the colors of the Russian flag
Reuters: In Copenhagen, the base of the statue of the Little Mermaid painted in the colors of the Russian tricolor
© AFP 2023 / Ritzau Scanpix / Ida Marie OdgaardThe Little Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen with a base painted in the colors of the Russian flag
Statue of the Mermaid in Copenhagen with a painted in the colors of the Russian flag base
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ZURICH, March 2 — RIA Novosti.
The base of the statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, created on the basis of the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, was painted in the colors of the Russian tricolor, Reuters reported.
The Russian flag was found painted on the basis of a statue of the Little Mermaid in Denmark on Thursday, in what police say is a “case of vandalism ” at Copenhagen ’ s most famous landmark and a popular tourist destination.
As specified, the front part of the stone on which the monument is erected is painted.
At the same time, the police still do not know “who is behind this incident. ”
"The answer is on the statue of an angel."
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The 175-kilogram Little Mermaid statue has been targeted by vandals several times, with the most recent incident involving the Russian flag in 2023.

The statue's pedestal was painted with the colors of the Russian flag, leading to concerns about its safety and the motives behind the vandalism.

Title:

Content: Russian Flag Painted on Copenhagen's Most Famous Landmark

It's the latest in a long line of attacks on Little Mermaid statue
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 2, 2023 10:15 AM CST

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, one of Denmark's most famous landmarks, has been vandalized yet again, this time with the Russian flag. Authorities said Thursday that the white, blue, and red stripes of the Russian flag were painted on the stone the statue sits on, Reuters reports. Police said the vandalism was discovered early Thursday. "We are of course launching an investigation to find out who did it and when and how it happened," a police spokesman said, per Jyllands-Posten.

Denmark, like other European nations, has strongly criticized Russia's war against Ukraine. The small statue, a tribute to the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, sits off a waterfront promenade in the Danish capital. It has been vandalized many times since it was installed 110 years ago, AFP reports. It has been decapitated twice and was knocked off its base with explosives in 2003. In 2017, it was doused in red paint in a protest against whale hunting. In 2020, during worldwide protests after the death of George Floyd, the words "racist fish" were painted on the base, though Andersen scholars said they weren't aware of any racist elements in the fairy tale. (Read more The Little Mermaid stories.)

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The police in Copenhagen said they were investigating the case of vandalism, which was perceived as a sign of support for the Kremlin in the Ukrainian conflict.

The statue of the Little Mermaid, inspired by the heroine of the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, has been targeted by vandals many times, including being blown up