Birmingham: On Saturday 6th December 2025, during Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Statehood Day celebrations at Bosnia House in Birmingham, President Željko Komšić presented the Presidential Award to Dr Waqar Azmi OBE, recognising more than fifteen years of extraordinary service as one of the world’s leading advocates for truth, justice and reconciliation for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The honour reflects Dr Azmi’s tireless work in raising awareness of the Srebrenica genocide, combating hatred and intolerance to help build a better, safer and more cohesive society for everyone in the UK as well as strengthening UK and international support for peace, justice and long-term stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As the founder and National Chair of Remembering Srebrenica UK, he has transformed the organisation from a single initiative into a globally respected movement. Through his leadership, more than 250,000 young people have been educated about the genocide, 1,500 Community Champions have been empowered to challenge hatred, and each July around 2,000 memorial events and activities now take place in schools, police forces, workplaces, town halls, places of worship and community centres across the UK. His work has ensured that Srebrenica Memorial Day is firmly embedded in the national calendar, safeguarding the memory of the victims and the lessons of Srebrenica for generations to come.
To achieve this scale of impact, Dr Azmi built a nationwide infrastructure for Remembering Srebrenica UK, establishing eight regional boards across England and three national boards in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, enabling thousands of volunteers, educators, civic leaders and faith representatives to lead commemorations, deliver education, and strengthen community cohesion in every corner of the country.
Dr Azmi’s work is admired by Bosnians across the world. He has not only made Srebrenica known to the British public in a way it had never been before, ensuring the genocide is taught in schools and that young people understand how hatred can escalate to atrocity, but has been instrumental in shaping UK policy and public attitudes towards Bosnia and Herzegovina. His leadership has helped ensure the genocide is properly understood in Westminster, that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty is supported, and that efforts by nationalist leaders such as Dodik and Vučić, backed by Russia, to provoke instability are challenged at the highest levels of British politics.
Remembering Srebrenica UK is now supported across all political parties, faith communities and devolved administrations, embodying Dr Azmi’s vision of a united national movement against hatred, division and genocide denial. His dedication is held in such high regard that the UK Bosnian community elected him as President of the Bosnia and Herzegovina UK Network, the national body representing the voice of 10,000 Bosnians living in the United Kingdom.
Receiving the Presidential Award, Dr Waqar Azmi OBE said:
“It is truly humbling to receive such a prestigious honour. I accept it on behalf of all our regional and national boards and our volunteers, who like me, are driven by the desire to honour the innocent victims of the genocide and the courage of those who lived through the darkest moments in European history. Our collective determination is clear: we must ensure that such hatred is never allowed to take root again.”
