Scholars from More Than 35 Countries Adopt Declaration on Protection of Christian Heritage

Congress participants in Bucharest signed a joint declaration. Photo: Basilica.ro

In Bucharest, scholars from more than 35 countries adopted a declaration on the protection of Christian heritage. Participants of two major international academic forums signed the document to preserve the unique holy sites of the Middle East amid geopolitical changes in the region. This was reported by Basilica.ro.

From August 3 to 7, 2026, the World Congress of Syriac Studies and the International Conference on Arab-Christian Studies were held at the Palace of Parliament in Romania. The Levantine Institute for Advanced Studies in the Culture of Peace served as the organizer of this large-scale academic event. Researchers presented more than 300 papers on the history and culture of Eastern Christianity.

The specialists who signed the declaration emphasized the outstanding value of Christian monuments in the Middle East. In the scholars' view, ancient manuscripts, monasteries, libraries, murals, churches, icons, and liturgical objects serve as exceptional testimony to a shared spiritual tradition. Congress participants called on the international community to strengthen cooperation and prioritize joint projects for the preservation of cultural monuments.

«The protection of Syriac and Arab-Christian heritage is not merely a duty to the past,» the forum participants stressed in the text of the declaration. «It is also an investment in the future of dialogue between peoples, peace, and mutual respect.»

In a separate section of the declaration, scholars acknowledged Romania's special role in supporting academic research on Christianity and in advancing active cultural diplomacy. Participants also welcomed the efforts of international organizations, universities, libraries, museums, and ecclesiastical structures that are digitizing and restoring ancient heritage.

The authors of the document expressed hope that the Bucharest Declaration will help strengthen mutual understanding, tolerance, and peace among various communities, confessions, and religions throughout the world.

As the Union of Orthodox Journalists reported, the authorities of Iraq declared the return of Christians a national priority.

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