The governor of the US state of Illinois, JB Pritzker, declared July 11, 2026 as the Srebrenica Genocide Awareness Day across the state.
This established the official Day of Mourning dedicated to honoring the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica, supporting the survivors and raising public awareness of the genocide committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For the fifth year in a row, Governor Pritzker issued an executive proclamation declaring July 11 an official day of mourning in the state of Illinois, dedicated to remembering the more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys killed in the Srebrenica genocide, as well as honoring the survivors.
The official proclamation was signed by Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, and was issued on July 8, 2026 at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, as part of the celebration of the 208th anniversary of Illinois statehood.
The statement states that more than 40,000 Bosnians and Herzegovinians live in Illinois, including many survivors of the genocide.
Illinois is also the first state in the United States of America to introduce a mandatory curriculum for public school students that includes the study of the genocide committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This decision of the state of Illinois is aligned with the decision of the General Assembly of the United Nations, which declared July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance and Commemoration of the Genocide in Srebrenica in 1995.
The proclamation emphasizes the importance of preserving historical truth and reminds us of the devastating consequences of Islamophobia and ethno-nationalism, along with a message about the importance of education, the culture of memory and the protection of human rights.
The commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial Day in Illinois aims to honor the victims, stand with the survivors and ensure that the lessons of Srebrenica are passed on to future generations, according to the statement.
