Cumbria County Council will be joining the nationwide initiative to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide of July 1995 - one of the most horrific events of the Bosnian War and the single largest mass murder on European soil since World War Two.
This year’s Srebrenica Memorial Week takes place this week (4 - 11 July) where communities across the UK will commemorate the 26th anniversary of the genocide, in which over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were murdered, simply because of their faith.
The theme for 2021 is ‘Rebuilding Lives.’
‘Rebuilding Lives’ aims to honour the two million people who were displaced during the genocide and ethnic cleansing in Bosnia in the 1990s, leaving them to seek refuge all over the world. It calls upon everyone to come together to remember and learn from the past to help build stronger, safer and more cohesive communities for all.
Srebrenica Memorial Week is supported by many well-known figures, including His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales who spoke last year on the 25th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide and commended the Remembering Srebrenica charity for its vitally important work.
The public are invited to ‘join’ this year’s UK National Srebrenica Memorial Day online commemoration event on Thursday 8 July at 5-6pm by registering at: bit.ly/srebrenica2021.
Cllr Deborah Earl, Cabinet Member for Communities, said:
“It's very important that we learn from the past to create a better future. Srebrenica Memorial Week is a time for us all to remember the millions of people killed under regimes of hatred or who have suffered atrocities.
“It is also a time to recognise that there are still people today who are persecuted because of their sex, race, gender and religious beliefs.
“Cumbria has welcomed and provided a safe haven for those who suffered from the Holocaust and the Bosnian genocide. In times of trouble, the generous people of Cumbria open their doors and hearts to survivors.”
Councillor Tony Markley, Chairman of Cumbria County Council, added:
“I fully support Srebrenica Memorial Week in raising awareness of the horrors of a relatively recent genocide. As individuals, communities and as a county, we need to continually challenge all forms of hatred and remember that our actions can and do matter.”