Reisu-l-ulema of the Islamic community in BiH Husein Kavazović and the president of the World Federation of Bergen-Belsen Associations Menahem Z. Rozenzaft launched today in Srebrenica a Muslim-Jewish peace initiative whose goal is to promote mutual understanding and dialogue between the Jewish and Muslim communities.
At the event organized by the Srebrenica Memorial Center on the occasion of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, it was pointed out that the initiative defines tools for maintaining interreligious contacts, chains of communication and connections in difficult times of global, regional and/or local conflicts, which include the Muslim and Jewish communities.
Reis Kavazović stated that the principles that can be a guide to a better future for Jews and Muslims in the world are the commitment to the memory of the victims of past genocides, the rejection of all forms of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other intolerances, and a determined commitment to the protection of life and freedom of expression within the framework of respect in such a way that, as friends we can tell each other what worries us, as well as our expectations, fears and hopes.
“And not only to them, because our initiative for peace and memory today is an invitation to everyone, especially our Orthodox and Catholic neighbors, to join us on this journey,” Kavazović pointed out.
Rozenzaft reminded that on this day 70 years ago, the Red Army freed the last prisoners – mostly Jews – who were left in the Nazi camp Auschwitz, but that today in Potočari we also remember the thousands of Bosniak men and boys who were killed in the 1995 genocide.
“Today we should pledge to do everything in our power to prevent the horrors we remember from happening again or at least to ease the suffering of the innocent. We must not be indifferent to suffering or tolerate brutality and cruelty against people and children just because of their identity,” emphasized Rozenzaft.
He added that we must condemn and reject the savagery committed by Hamas against the Jews on October 7, 2023, and that we must not be indifferent to the death and displacement suffered by Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
President of the Jewish Community of BiH Jakob Finci pointed out that Jews have lived in BiH for more than 450 years because they were expelled from Spain together with Muslims and other non-Christians, and that they remembered the worst time during the German-Ustasha occupation in World War II, which most did not survive.
He underlined that, although the world said “Never again” in 1945, the genocide unfortunately happened again in Srebrenica because it is obvious that if history is a teacher of life, we are not good students.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Srebrenica Memorial Center, Hamdija Fejzić, said that today the Center is the only place where Muslims and Jews offer hands of cooperation, building bridges of dialogue, understanding and mutual respect.
He expressed his belief that this initiative has historical significance for our country and the whole world because it symbolizes our common responsibility towards future generations.
High Representative Christian Schmidt said that we urgently need authentic messages of peace and reconciliation, because too often we hear only empty words.
He added that this initiative is a stronger message than political stories, and that sometimes we have to return to our roots, which is humanity.
The Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Johan Sattler, said that the initiative is testimony to the influence of individuals who work for good and reject bad, and he acknowledged Reis Kavazović and Jakob Finci, who played key roles in the promotion of interreligious dialogue and understanding in BiH.
He expressed the hope and expectation that this initiative will be another element in building hope for BiH and an example for other communities throughout Europe and the world, Fena news agency writes.
E.Dz.
