Bucharest Declaration calls for greater international cooperation to protect Christian heritage

Participants in the World Congress of Syriac Studies and the International Conference on Arab Christian Studies adopted the “ Bucharest Declaration ” on Friday, recognising Romania’s contribution to the development of cultural diplomacy.

According to a press release issued by the Levant Institute for Advanced Studies in the Culture of Peace, the declaration was adopted in the context of “the geopolitical transformations in the Middle East, new opportunities for international cooperation, and developments that may facilitate the resumption of research, conservation, and restoration programmes.”

The signatories stressed that “manuscripts, libraries, monasteries, churches, mural paintings, icons, and liturgical objects constitute exceptional testimonies to a tradition that continues to inspire scholarly research and intercultural dialogue.”

“The protection of Syriac and Christian Arabic heritage is not merely an obligation towards the past, but also an investment in the future of dialogue among peoples, peace, and mutual respect,” the declaration states.

The role of cultural institutions The declaration welcomed the efforts of international organisations, universities,…