The Institute for Genocide Research Canada (IGK) sent a letter to Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, asking the Canadian government to support a proposal for the UN General Assembly to recognize July 11 as the official International Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Srebrenica genocide worldwide.
The letter signed by IGK director Emir Ramić was also sent to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly.
The IGK states that the genocide in Srebrenica is one of the darkest chapters in recent history, which resulted in the massacre of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys.
“The brutality and scale of the crimes committed in the genocide in Srebrenica, legally established by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Court of Justice and domestic courts, shocked the world and highlighted the urgent need for international intervention to prevent future crimes against humanity,” the IGC letter states.
It is underlined that the recognition of July 11 as the International Day of Remembrance would serve as a reminder of the need to prevent genocide and other mass crimes, honor the victims and survivors of Srebrenica, and reaffirm the collective commitment to respect for human rights and the rule of law.
“It would also provide an opportunity for educational initiatives, commemorative events and initiatives to promote reconciliation and tolerance. At the national level, Canada has already taken steps in the right direction. With motions passed in the House of Representatives in 2010 and 2015, Canada recognized July 11 each year as Srebrenica Day of Remembrance in Canada and included the Srebrenica Genocide and Srebrenica Remembrance Day as part of ‘Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Awareness Month’,” it is stated in the announcement of IGK.
