Organized by the Congress of Bosniaks of North America (CBNA), a commemoration was held in the US Senate building to mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. The program was implemented with the direct support of members of the US Congress, whose engagement provided the space in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room.
The program was addressed by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Congressmen Mike Turner, Jake Auchincloss and Wesley Bell, the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the US, Sven Alkalaj, Director of the Srebrenica Memorial Center Emir Suljagić, Mufti of the Islamic Community of Bosniaks of North America Sabahudin ef. Ceman, and Executive Director of the CBNA Selma Porča. The ceremony was moderated by Lejla Pekarić, and the program opened with the performance of the national anthem by the young violinist Uma Čizmić and the performance of Srebrenica Inferno by the young Ajla Bajrami.
The program was attended by representatives of the US legislative and executive branches, foreign diplomats, and representatives of international organizations in Washington. The commemoration was graced by the presence of representatives of Bosniak councils from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and North Macedonia, led by the president of the Bosniak Councils Association, Sulja Mustafić. Among those present were also numerous representatives of the Bosniak-American community who came from all over the United States to support this program.
“Thirty years ago, Bosniaks were the target of genocide,” said Selma Porča, emphasizing that “instead of being erased, today we gather in the US Senate not as victims, but as active and successful members of American society.”
