Istanbul – a multi-faith centre

A guest blog by Nadia Hashmi, Second Secretary for internal politics and human rights at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey

The grandeur of the Blue Mosque. The intricate mosaics of the Chora church. The breath-taking Hagia Sophia.

All these monuments reflect how Istanbul has for centuries been a centre of religious belief.

Istanbul’s diversity was reinforced to me recently during the visit of Justin Welby, who as Archbishop of Canterbury is head of the Anglican Church of England and Wales. The Archbishop came to Istanbul as the guest of the Ecumenical Patriarch. 

In addition to the majority Muslim population, Turkey is home to many religious minorities and has a history of diversity. When Constantinople became the capital of the Ottoman Empire in 1453, the city’s Bishop – the Ecumenical Patriarch – became the authority over the Eastern Patriarchates and Balkan Churches.

The Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul has officially represented Orthodox Armenians since 1461, with 30 churches still active in the city. The Aramaic-speaking Syriac Orthodox Church established itself in Mesopotamia, in what is now the south of modern Turkey, in the 6th century until 1933.

The head then transferred to Syria but four archbishops remain in Turkey. There are twenty active synagogues in Istanbul, mainly of Ashkenazi and Sephardic origins, and numerous Christian churches.

Much of this living history lies just steps from the British Consulate General in the district of Beyoglu formerly known as ‘Pera’, meaning ‘across’ in Greek – as it lay across from the old city. So we were pleased to introduce the Archbishop of Canterbury to some of these groups, as well as members of Christian church congregations and civil society, at a round table in the Consulate.

Several speakers at the round-table said Turkey had taken strides in recent years to encourage understanding between faiths. That included through legislation enabling foundations to reclaim property, and by inviting faith groups to parliament during consultations for a new constitution. But speakers also said there was scope for improvement.

Respect for all religious faiths and communities is important: the elimination of intolerance and discrimination is set out in international human rights standards (the European Convention on Human Rights) including in the context of a country joining the EU. As the European Commission said in its 2013 report on Turkey’s EU reform progress: “a European Convention on Human Rights-compatible legal framework has yet to be established on matters of faith…”.

The Commission also said that a more formal legal solution was needed to ensure freedom of religion and public participation of religious communities according to these standards. There has been recent work done in the area including a recent Norwegian Helsinki Foundation report and a conference about non-Muslim rights.

This is a sensitive issue. But it’s vital for all communities and faith groups living in Turkey to ensure maximum tolerance and to nurture mutual understanding. We look forward to continuing to work with our colleagues and friends in the Turkish authorities and civil society groups across the country, to try and achieve that goal.