Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has written to every council in Britain, asking them to take action in Srebrenica Memorial Week, leading up to the EU-wide memorial day on 11 July.
DCLG part-funds Remembering Srebrenica’s work in learning lessons from the genocide to create stronger, more cohesive communities in the UK. On 11 July 1995, General Ratko Mladić and his Bosnian Serb forces marched into the town of Srebrenica and systematically murdered 8372 Bosnian Muslim men and boys.
In his letter to local authorities, Lord Ahmad said:
“Commemorating Srebrenica is about all communities coming together to condemn a genocide that took place on our doorstep in living memory and to learn the lessons of Srebrenica by committing to do something in their own communities to challenge hatred and intolerance.”
Remembering Srebrenica raises awareness of the genocide in the UK. It organises the UK Srebrenica Memorial Week, which leads up to the EU-wide day of remembrance for the victims of the genocide.
Remembering Srebrenica Chairman Dr Waqar Azmi OBE said:
“This year is the 20th anniversary of the genocide that occurred in Srebrenica – the single greatest atrocity committed on European soil since the Second World War and a brutal reminder of man’s inhumanity to man.
“I look forward to seeing councils across Britain work with local people to take actions that help to tackle hatred and build stronger, more cohesive communities whilst ensuring that the lessons from Srebrenica are never forgotten.”
The charitable initiative also runs the ‘Lessons from Srebrenica’ educational visit programme to learn from the genocide and people’s lives. On return to the UK, delegates pledge to organise projects in their communities to strengthen community cohesion and create a better society.
