Commemorations were held in Biella and Piazenca in memory of the victims of the Srebrenica genocide, organized by the Cultural Association of Bosniaks in Biella and the Youth Network of Piacenza.
The commemoration was attended by representatives of the Italian authorities, the chief imam of the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Italy Muamer Kozica, the president of the Cultural Association of Bosniaks in Italy Almir Salihović, the president of the Biella Jamaat Alija Salihović, and representatives of the Youth Network of Piacenza.
Consul Arijana Džogović attended the commemorations on behalf of the Consulate General of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Milan, and thanked the representatives of the Italian authorities who gave permission to mark July 11, the International Day of Remembrance and Commemoration of the Genocide Committed in Srebrenica in 1995.
She emphasized that the genocide in Srebrenica was committed in July 1995 in the heart of Europe and that it was the biggest crime in Europe after the Second World War in which over 8,372 innocent people were killed and that the final judgments of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia confirmed that genocide against Bosniaks was committed in Srebrenica. Members of the Republika Srpska Army systematically executed them solely because they were Bosniaks (Muslims), that is, because of their ethnic and religious affiliation.
In her address, Džogović thanked the Republic of Italy, which was one of the key initiators and co-sponsors of the draft resolution of the UN General Assembly on the genocide in Srebrenica, and that the memory of the genocide in Srebrenica and the transmission of the truth to future generations remain a permanent obligation. The aim of the culture of memory is not only to pay tribute to the victims, but also to educate young people to prevent the denial of crimes, hate speech and repetition of the tragedy.
She especially emphasized the mothers of Srebrenica, who are a symbol of resistance, truth and justice. Having lost their loved ones in the genocide of 1995, they built a permanent struggle out of their greatest pain. Instead of revenge, they chose the path of searching for the truth, punishing war crimes and preserving memory. They are most responsible for the establishment of the Potočari Memorial Center and the identification of thousands of victims. With their strength and dignity, they prevent the spread of hatred and the denial of crimes, leading the message that tragedy must never be forgotten.
The interlocutors agreed that the innocently killed victims of the Srebrenica genocide will never be forgotten, and that today it is crucial to fight against the glorification of war criminals and to promote a culture of dialogue and understanding. A joint message was sent that Srebrenica must never happen again and to anyone.
