PRESS RELEASE Regarding inappropriate conduct during an organized visit of students to the Patriarchate of Peć

Presenting historically contested and ethnically framed interpretations to children, particularly within the sacred space of an active place of worship, constitutes a serious act of disrespect toward the religious site and its purpose, as well as a deviation from the basic standards of responsible education, professional ethics, and respect for freedom of religion.

The Patriarchate of Peć is a protected religious and cultural heritage site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as one of the most important religious sites of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with a clearly established historical, legal, and international status. Any attempt to politicize, arbitrarily reinterpret, or ethnically appropriate it represents an attack on the dignity of the Serbian Orthodox Church, on the right to the peaceful enjoyment of religious and cultural heritage, and on efforts to build interethnic trust.

It is particularly concerning that this case does not appear to be an isolated incident but rather part of a broader pattern of disputed interpretations, provocations, and attempts to alter the character and identity of the Serbian Orthodox Church's heritage in Kosovo. Such developments further burden already sensitive interethnic relations, deepen mistrust, and hinder the creation of a social climate based on mutual respect, equality, and the rule of law.

We call on the relevant institutions, educational and cultural bodies, as well as international actors monitoring the state of human rights, religious freedoms, and the protection of cultural heritage, to promptly establish the full circumstances of this event and to take appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of similar cases. Protected religious sites must remain spaces of respect, professional responsibility, and peaceful coexistence - not venues for the dissemination of historically controversial, ethnically framed, and potentially politically inflammatory messages.

In a democratic society governed by the rule of law, the protection of religious rights, the dignity of religious communities, and cultural heritage must be consistent, impartial, and in line with existing legislation and international standards.