"The cure to ignorance is education"
Lesson from Srebrenica: Remembering the Genocide which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina in July 1995.
"In April 1992, as Yugoslavia broke into independent nations, the City Sarajevo fell under attack from Bosnian Serb military groups with the backing of serb-dominated Yugoslav army, who were against the Bosnian Independence. The Bosnian Serbs encircled the city and placed Sarajevo's 500,000 citizens under siege. Sarajevo was bombarded by artillery and Snipers picked off residents as they walked in the streets."
I was invited on a journey along with a few others to travel to Bosnia to learn about the History of Bosnia and Herzegovina and about the Genocide which took place in the 90s. I travelled with an NGO Called Remembering Srebrenica. Remembering Srebrenica is the only charity in the UK dedicated to raising awareness about the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica.
"In April 1992, as Yugoslavia broke into independent nations, the City Sarajevo fell under attack from Bosnian Serb military groups with the backing of serb-dominated Yugoslav army, who were against the Bosnian Independence. The Bosnian Serbs encircled the city and placed Sarajevo's 500,000 citizens under siege. Sarajevo was bombarded by artillery and Snipers picked off residents as they walked in the streets."
I was invited on a journey along with a few others to travel to Bosnia to learn about the History of Bosnia and Herzegovina and about the Genocide which took place in the 90s. I travelled with an NGO Called Remembering Srebrenica. Remembering Srebrenica is the only charity in the UK dedicated to raising awareness about the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica.
This genocide is really important to Europe as it was the second largest ethnic cleansing genocide that took place in Europe after the Holocaust. Europe had promised that they would never allow another genocide to take place on its soil, its continent. Unfortunately, hundreds and thousands were murdered and forced to flee and migrate from their land.
On this trip, I was able to visit some key places related to this genocide: Sarajevo, Tuzla, Potaceri and Srebrenica.
I was also able to meet some of the mothers of the survivors as well as visite two of Europe's most established missings persons' lab - ICMP ( International Commission on Missing Persons and a Mortuary in Tuzla and Prodrinje (Identification project). The stench of the decayed bodies left from the mortuary is to this day very heartbreaking. Due to their excellent work and efforts many missing persons and victims of the genocide have been identified. Many Mass graves have been found even though more are yet to be found!
We also visited the Tunnel Museum for Sarajevo and The Tarik Samarah's Gallery : a gallery dedicated to Srebrenica & other Genocides. The Gallery is filled with photographs of the victims, it will leave a poignant feeling in the hearts of many.
In Srebrenica over 8000 men and boys, fathers, husbands, sons, were murdered because of their ethnicity and their religion Islam. It is surreal to stand in the graveyard, rows and rows of white stones.
As a delegate on this trip, my aim is to raise awareness about ethnic cleansing, hatred towards a person, his/her religion, race and being a source of education for others so that such events do not take place again in Europe and in the world.
We also visited the Tunnel Museum for Sarajevo and The Tarik Samarah's Gallery : a gallery dedicated to Srebrenica & other Genocides. The Gallery is filled with photographs of the victims, it will leave a poignant feeling in the hearts of many.
In Srebrenica over 8000 men and boys, fathers, husbands, sons, were murdered because of their ethnicity and their religion Islam. It is surreal to stand in the graveyard, rows and rows of white stones.
As a delegate on this trip, my aim is to raise awareness about ethnic cleansing, hatred towards a person, his/her religion, race and being a source of education for others so that such events do not take place again in Europe and in the world.
