Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni held a working meeting with her Palestinian counterpart, Tourism and Antiquities Minister Hani Al-Hayek, in Ramallah. This meeting marked the culmination of a joint decision made during Mendoni's visit to Ramallah in March, where both ministers agreed to collaborate on enhancing the protection of cultural heritage. The outcome of this collaboration was the signing of an Action Plan aimed at strengthening efforts to preserve and safeguard cultural sites, a culture ministry announcement said.
The Action Plan outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation between Greece and Palestine, focusing on the exchange of expertise and best practices in the protection, conservation, and promotion of cultural heritage, the creation of in-person and online educational programmes and the preservation of cultural sites and monuments in the warfare zones. Both ministers acknowledged the pivotal role of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem in maintaining the region's religious and cultural heritage. Their collaboration underscores a shared commitment to preserving cultural identity amidst challenging circumstances.
Mendoni expressed Greece's readiness to host Palestinian conservators and archaeologists to collaborate with the Ministry of culture ministry's experts, aiming to gain relevant experience in heritage preservation. Al-Hayek gladly accepted the proposal, emphasising the existence of over 400 Greek Orthodox churches in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that urgently require support and conservation efforts.