London: The Srebrenica Genocide was the worst atrocity on European soil since the second world war in which over 8000 Muslims were systematically murdered just in the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia simply because of their Muslim identity, a close to 100,000 people killed across the whole country, over 2.2 million people displaced and, between 20,000-50,000 women raped as part of the systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide enacted by Serb forces.
Each year the UK charity, Remembering Srebrenica brings communities together in different cities and towns to remember the victims and reject hatred in over 1,000 memorial activities held in schools, town halls, police stations, synagogues, mosques and churches.
The charity also organises the United Kingdom National Srebrenica Memorial Day Ceremony which this year took place on Thursday 8th July. It was attended by President Šefik Džaferović of Bosnia, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab as well as political leaders from all corners of the United Kingdom: First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon MSP, First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford MS, First Ministers of Northern Ireland Paul Givan MLA & Michelle O’Neill MLA, the Grand Mufti of Bosnia, Husein Kavazović and survivors of the genocide and ethnic cleansing.
Thanks to the work of Remembering Srebrenica the UK has become the largest commemorator of Srebrenica memorial activities in the world which not only seek to bring people together to learn the lessons of the past in order to create stronger, more inclusive communities but also inspire future generations to take action to stand up to hatred and intolerance.
Report by: S M Irfan Tahir World News London, United Kingdom
