A/HRC/34/15 38. Religious and commemorative events, in the north for Greek Cypriots and in the south for Turkish Cypriots, permit Cypriots to continue traditional religious practices and, in some cases, provide important opportunities for interaction between members of the communities. In the period from 19 December 2015 to 24 June 2016, UNFICYP facilitated the participation of more than 15,000 persons at some 50 religious services and commemorative events, which were either conducted in the buffer zone or required crossing the buffer zone, including at two newly accessible sites for worship in the north, namely the Maronite Church of St. Anne in Famagusta and the Cypriot Church of St. John the Baptist in Argaki. UNFICYP also facilitated the crossing of nearly 1,000 pilgrims from the north to the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque in Larnaca (S/2016/598, para. 23). 39. The religious leaders of Cyprus continued their dialogue and joint efforts. On 10 February 2016, they reiterated their full support for the negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus problem in a statement to the press, in which they called for the further easing of restrictions on freedom of religion, including improved access to destroyed or neglected places of worship and cemeteries in need of repair. In March, the religious leaders delivered the first jointly signed letter to the leaders, outlining their expectations in a settlement with regard to the administration of properties belonging to religious institutions (ibid., para. 25). 40. Following the sustained engagement on Cyprus issues by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, the religious leaders made their second joint presentation, to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-first session and at a parallel meeting, hosted by the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations Office at Geneva, jointly highlighting their cooperative efforts for the realization of freedom of religion or belief across the island. 41. In May 2016, the Turkish Cypriot authorities proposed policy changes that, if implemented, would lead to a reduction in approvals for religious services in the north of the island. In an effort to ensure continued access to religious sites, the Special Adviser and Special Representative of the Secretary-General intervened in support of access to all religious sites (ibid., para. 24). Issues relating to freedom of worship were also raised by the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, who visited sites of cultural importance during her mission to Cyprus in 2016 and held meetings with a wide range of interlocutors. While encouraged by the announcement that additional restrictions would not be implemented by the Turkish Cypriot authorities, the Special Rapporteur noted that confusion and uncertainty remained in the way existing arrangements would be interpreted in the future. She encouraged the Turkish Cypriot authorities to revise existing restrictions in the northern part on the accessibility of religious buildings, sites or cemeteries and the holding of religious services to bring them into compliance with international standards protecting the right to freedom of religion and belief and the right to enjoy and access cultural heritage, as recommended by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief following his mission to Cyprus in 2012 (see A/HRC/22/51/Add.1). 42. In his thematic report submitted to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-first session, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief noted that the enhanced interreligious communication between Christian and Muslim leaders had led to breakthroughs, including the re-opening of churches and mosques that had been inaccessible for decades owing to the protracted conflict on the island. Religious leaders had initiated emergency measures and cleaned up each other’s places of worship, thus creating an atmosphere of goodwill and trust. The Special Rapporteur stressed that some interreligious encounters in Cyprus had been open to participation beyond the traditional religious communities, including Evangelicals, Baha’is, Buddhists and others, thus building awareness on the further emergence of religious pluralism (A/HRC/31/18, para. 42). 43. In its concluding observations on the sixth periodic report of Cyprus, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights welcomed the establishment of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage, in charge of the preservation and restoration of 11