A survivor of the Bosnian War addressed a special event in memory of the Srebrenica genocide earlier this week.
Organised by the Cumberland Council, Srebrenica Memorial Day 2024 was commemorated at the Civic Centre on Monday, 8 July and gave the public the opportunity to learn more about the Bosnian War and the genocide.
The guest speaker was Jasmin Dajic, who shared his war experiences and life post-conflict.
Mr Dajic was 12 years old when war broke out in May 1992, and had an accident in 1994 where he lost his left arm and sustained injuries all over his body.
He was found by British aid workers and transported to England in April 1995, and currently lives in Manchester with his wife and two children.
Councillor Elaine Lynch, Cumberland Council’s executive member for lifelong learning and development, said at a council meeting the day after the event: "This year marks 29 years since the genocide at Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina in which over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were systematically murdered in what was described by the United Nations as 'the worst crime on European soil since the Second World War.'
"That is why it is imperative that we never forget the horrors of 1995.
"The lessons learned from Srebrenica are that hatred and intolerance can flourish if left unchallenged even in an integrated society like Bosnia and Herzegovina, where people of different faiths had lived peacefully together for hundreds of years.
"The 11th of July has been designated as the official day of remembrance for the victims of Srebrenica.
"During this week each year, communities across the country honour the victims and survivors of the genocide, and pledge to create a better, stronger and more cohesive society in the United Kingdom.
"I was honoured to welcome a survivor of the Bosnian war for a remembrance event.
"Jasmin Dajic spoke honestly and poignantly about his experience, and how much gratitude and joy he has for his life safe in Manchester where he lives with his wife and two children.
"The genocide in Srebrenica is truly one of the darkest moments of human history since the Second World War, as thousands of innocent lives were taken as a result of nationalism which fuelled hatred against Muslims.
"By confronting this dark chapter of our collective history, we can reaffirm our commitment to tackling prejudice and discrimination and remind ourselves of the need to strengthen our resolve so that 'never again' is truly meant."
In recognition of the memorial day, some of Cumberland Council’s buildings were lit green from Friday, July 5 through to Tuesday, July 9.
The memorial event was supported by AWAZ Cumbria, Mohammed Dhalech, and Dr Tony Foody, a history teacher at Keswick School.
Remembering Srebrenica, an organisation committed to educating young people about the genocide, has developed a range of resources that can be freely downloaded via their website at https://srebrenica.org.uk/learn.
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