Remembering Srebrenica were proud to join members of the local community for a large gathering that took place at Bosnia House, a national Bosnian community centre that undertakes an incredible amount of work to support more than 10,000 Bosnians living in the UK.
The dinner was attended by members from different communities who had come from right across the Midlands to join guests including the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Yvonne Mosquito, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Dr Nasir Awan MBE DL and the Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner and Coventry City Councillor, Lynette Kelly. The event recognised the tireless efforts and commitment of all those who devote so much of their time to raise awareness of Srebrenica and use the lessons of the genocide to work to promote cohesion and tackle hatred and intolerance in their communities.
The evening provided an opportunity to experience the rich culture and heritage of the Bosnian community, with guests being treated to a wide selection of traditional Bosnian food and dance performances from children. There were speeches from the Lord Mayor, Dr Anes Cerić, Manager of the Bosnia and Herzegovina UK Network and Alma Aganović, Chair of the Remembering Srebrenica West Midlands Board, who all expressed their gratitude for the enormous contribution to those who have pledged to commemorate the genocide and ensure that the atrocities that took place are never forgotten. Remembering Srebrenica also offered their thanks to the community and outlined some of the achievements in 2018 which included over 1,000 memorial activities taking place across the UK, none of which would have been possible without the support of volunteers. Finally, awards were given to Amina Mekić and Selma Bektić in acknowledgment of the role they have played in supporting the work of the charity.
We would like to thank everyone at Bosnia House for their generous hospitality, and for organising such a successful event that brought communities from different backgrounds together to recognise the vital work being undertaken to learn the lessons of Srebrenica.
