St Paul’s Cathedral in London hosted a commemoration to mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, the worst atrocity committed on European soil since World War II.
Survivors, political leaders, religious dignitaries and community representatives gathered at the event to pay their respects to the more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys killed in July 1995, BH UK Network reported.
At one of Britain’s most famous and important places of worship, thirty candles were lit during the service, one for each year since the genocide, and those lighting them included Munira Subasic, president of the Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Association, British government ministers, MPs, diplomats and second-generation survivors.
Speeches and testimonies in Bosnian and English reminded those present of the horrors endured by the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the victims of Srebrenica and the Trnopolje camp, and of the necessity of combating hatred, nationalism and genocide denial.
Guests included members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željko Komšić and Denis Bećirović, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Angela Rayner, Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom Sayeeda Warsi, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and many ambassadors and consuls from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Palestine and other countries.
Music was performed by Lejla Jusić and Elvir Solak from the National Theatre in Sarajevo, including the moving song Bijeli cvijet, while prayers were read by young representatives of the Bosnian community in the United Kingdom.
The commemoration was a powerful reminder of the consequences of unbridled hatred and a reminder of the shared responsibility of all of us to defend truth, justice and human dignity.
The commemoration was followed by an official reception at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO), where Stephen Doughty, Secretary of State for Europe, North America and Overseas, addressed the audience. In his speech, he highlighted the UK’s strong commitment to truth, a culture of remembrance and continued support for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The ceremony in the heart of London marked the start of the month of remembrance for the Srebrenica genocide, with more than a thousand commemorations expected to take place across the UK to mark the 30th anniversary – in communities, schools, religious institutions and institutions across the country that commemorate the innocent victims, the BH UK Network announced.
