Thousands gather in Srebrenica to mark 31 years since genocide

Thousands gathered in Bosnia and Herzegovina to mark 31 years since the Srebrenica genocide, an event where Bosnian Serb forces killed more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys in July 1995. The annual commemoration at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center saw mourners, survivors, foreign dignitaries, and religious leaders come together to remember the victims.

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If we fail to preserve the truth about our past, we will have neither a present nor a future.

During the ceremony, ten newly identified victims were buried, a somber reminder of the ongoing efforts to locate and identify those still missing. Investigators continue to search for remains in mass graves surrounding the area, with over a thousand victims still unaccounted for. This genocide is recognized as the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II.

Speakers at the event emphasized the importance of remembering the past to secure a future. Denis Becirovic, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated, "If we fail to preserve the truth about our past, we will have neither a present nor a future." The Dutch ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Henk van den Dool, highlighted education as a key tool in preventing similar atrocities, noting a shared goal with the memorial center and survivors to translate warnings into meaningful action.

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One of the most meaningful and effective ways to do that is through education.

International figures also marked the anniversary. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the massacre "a crime against humanity." The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who visited Srebrenica the previous week, posted on X that he was "deeply moved" and urged a commitment to fighting violence and dehumanization. Comparisons have also been drawn in recent days between the Srebrenica genocide and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

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Today, as we stop to remember the victims and families who mourn them, we must also commit ourselves to fighting violence and dehumanisation wherever we encounter it and stopping hatred from taking hold.