Museums are par excellence places that promote dialogue between cultures. They function as arks of cultural heritage, which belongs to everyone. Through the study of history, their mission is to make connections between historical periods, cultures and religions. Visitors in museums and monuments are able to make sense of these connections across history.

Many examples of museums and monuments around the world demonstrate the dialogue between different cultures. Cultural heritage is essentially a manifestation of human identity, and can play a unifying role beyond and above nationalist views, religious or cultural differences. Therefore, the value of monuments is a matter of the international community as a whole. The 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention was based on this very premise.
We thus argue that the negotiation of the designated World Cultural Heritage should under no circumstances be the subject of individual initiatives, national or regional, because it is a legacy for all humankind.

In this light, the Hagia Sophia, which inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and has been operating as a museum since 1934, should not under any pretext lose its ecumenical character and become a place of Muslim worship.

ICOM’s official statement here.