President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani awarded the Presidential Medal to the association “Mothers of Srebrenica” within the framework of the International Forum for Women, Peace and Security taking place in Pristina. Osmani stated that in Srebrenica “more than 8.000 men and children were massacred by the genocidal forces of (President of Serbia) Slobodan Milosevic.”
She said that despite that endless pain, the mothers from Srebrenica, just like many mothers from Kosovo, decided to raise their voices.
She also said that they “became the voice of those who cannot speak,” and that “with every photo they held in their hands, they preserved the living memory.”
“Dear Mothers of Srebrenica, during my term as president, I have often paid tribute to mothers from Kosovo who turned their pain into strength and never remained silent in the search for justice, for the children lost during the war. Today I have the honor, on behalf of all citizens, based on my constitutional powers, to award the Presidential Medal for Service to the mothers of Srebrenica,” stated Osmani.
A representative of the Association Mothers of Srebrenica stated that they presented the truth to the world.
“We fought for resolutions in the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, which is very important for the genocide to be remembered. If I have lost my son, I have not lost my pride. We opened the eyes of the whole world to our human dignity,” she said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Elmedin Konakovic, who is participating in the Forum, stated that he is deeply honored that the Mothers of Srebrenica have been decorated with the Presidential Medal this year, describing them as a global symbol of dignity.
“These women have experienced the greatest human pain and suffering, but they turned it into strength and power for justice, remembrance, and peace. They never sought revenge, only the truth,” said Konakovic.
Yesterday, a two-day International Forum for Women, Peace, and Security began in Pristina, bringing together representatives from 45 countries.
