Why it’s important we remember Srebrenica – 25 years on
Cllr John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities, reflects on why it is important to remember those who lost their lives in the genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995.
This year, we are recognising the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica, during which more than 8,000 men and boys were systematically murdered - simply because they were Muslim.
On Saturday (11 July), I will be tuning into a national online memorial, commemorating the thousands who lost their lives during the 11-day massacre in the Bosnian town, in the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War.
As an organisation that works with Remembering Srebrenica, believe that we must ensure that we never forget about the genocide and reaffirm our commitment to standing up against all forms of hatred and prejudice that targets groups based on their religion, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or any type of difference.
The theme – Every Action Matters – seeks to encourage every person to reflect upon their own behaviour and choices that they make and demonstrate that, however insignificant it may seem, every action matters, whether positive or negative.
It aims to show that those who stand up and unite against hatred can make a difference. It sets out to dispel the notion that one person cannot make a difference and show that the action of one individual does matter and that they can achieve a great deal, however small their action may appear initially.
Now it is more important than ever for us to come together as people in the UK, no matter what our background, to celebrate diversity and to stand together in solidarity against hatred and discrimination.
We hope you will join us in mourning the loss of those who died at Srebrenica, and reflecting on how we as individuals, groups and communities can come together to build a better future without hatred.
- You can join the Remembering Srebrenica’s national commemoration on Saturday by tuning into their Facebook (@rememberingsrebrenica) and Twitter (@SrebrenicaUK) accounts at 7pm
This blog was posted on 8 July 2020
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