Efforts for religious freedom, commitment to peacebuilding and forgiveness by Cyprus religious leaders recognized by UN Secretary-General

UN Secretary-General 's July 2021 report on his mission of good offices in Cyprus, once again highlighted how the Religious Leaders of Cyprus sustained their commitment to peacebuilding and reconciliation within the framework of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process (RTCYPP).

The Secretary General highlighted the joint public statements of the Christian & Muslim religious leaders, promoting forgiveness, counteracting further polarization and standing up for religious freedom.

Secretary General Guterres pointed out the joint statements issued by the religious leaders swiftly and in a conciliatory manner, for cases of desecration and vandalism of places of worship; prevented serious and potentially harmful to intercommunal relations, backlash. Lastly, the report highlighted how religious pilgrimages, part of an unprecedented agreement reached between Archbishop Chrysostomos II and Mufti Talip Atalay in 2014 within the framework of the RTCYPP and supported by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus; have been an important confidence-building measure.