Saving Agia Sophia, Istanbul

The last time I visited Istanbul was two years ago. The city constitutes a huge histori-cal monument appreciated even by those unfamiliar with history. I was really wel-come and treated as if I were a celebrity. People were very friendly and hospitable a fact rather inconsistent with turbulent Greek-Turkish history.

Yet, one thing tarred my visit. That is the lot of Agia Sophia, probably the most his-torical Christian monument in the world. At a time when there is an urgent need for the inauguration of an inter-cultural and inter-civilisational dialogue, the lot of the church and the way it has been used, is an obstacle to the desired inter-religious un-derstanding.

Prime Minister T. Erdogan has a golden opportunity to send a deafening message to the world and those who light-heartedly talk about a clash of civilizations. The resto-ration of Agia Sophia is the best way for a Muslim country to show everyone that all the world needs is a better understanding, a way of accepting our differences.

That is the only way for peaceful coexistence and the best means to illustrate extrem-ists that what the Muslim world demands is respect. It will be an answer to those across the Christian world who have failed to treat Muslims with decency and at-tempted to export our western values by means of violence.

Dr. George Voskopoulos

G.Voskopoulos,BA,Brock University(Can)/BA,Ionian University(Gr)/MA,International Relations & Strategic Studies,Lancaster University,UK/Ph.D,Exeter University,UK,Centre for European Studies,f.Associate Researcher, Luxembourg Institute for European & International Studies,f.Visiting Faculty,Russe University, Bulgaria, Assistant Professor, University of Macedonia,Thessaloniki,Greece.Selected publications:The EU:institutions, policies,challenges,dilemmas,Epikentro,Thessaloniki,2009/Foreign policy, strategy & defence, Epikentro, Thessaloniki,2009/The Construction of Europe,Poiotita,Athens,2008/Greek-Bulgarian Relations in the Post-Cold War Era:Contributing to Stability & Development in South-eastern Europe, Mediterranean Quarterly,Spring 2008, Duke University,USA/"Defining Factors in EU-Russian Relations",Proceedings, vol.47,Book 6,Rousse University, Bulgaria,2008/"Russia,the US & the emergence of a multipolar international system",Proceedings, vol.47, Book 6, Rousse University, Department of European Stidies,Bulgaria,2008 / Greek foreign policy,from the 20th to the 21st century, Papazisis, Athens, 2005/Transatlantic Relations & European Integration,realities & dilemmas,ICFAI U.P,2006,/J.Mitchell & G.Voskopoulos(eds),American Politics & Government, v.2,Whittier,NY,2005/"The geographical & systemic influences on Greek foreign policy in the Balkans in the ´90s, Perspectives,n.26,2006//"Post-Cold War Common Foreign & Security Policy of the EU",Evropa,Warsaw,TOM 4,2004/"Political Socialization as a Means of Consolidating Pluralism & Democracy in South East Europe" in Slobodan Markovich-Eric Beckett Weaver-Vukasin Pavlovic(eds.),Challenges to the New Democracies in the Balkans, (Belgrade: Cigoja Press & Anglo-Yugoslav Society,2004)/"U.S.,Terrorism,International Security & Leadership:Toward a U.S.-EU-Russia Security Partnership", Demokratizatsiya, Washington D.C.,v.11,n.2,2003/"Europe,North America & International Security,the need for a revised balanced relationship", Transition Studies Review,n.34,2003/"Western Europe & the Balkans:A Geo-Cultural approach of international relations", Perspectives, n.17,2002/"EU enlargement & Bulgaria:Costs & Opportunities", Proceedings,Russe,2002/"European integration through Gaullism & Europeanism", Studia Europaea, 2006 /"European Integration:From Gaull-ism to Atlanticism & Europeanism", Proceedings,Russe,2006

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