Today, White Armband Day was commemorated at Residenzplatz, the central city square in Salzburg, organized by eight Bosnian and Herzegovinian associations. The day symbolizes remembrance of the crimes committed against Bosniaks and Croats from Prijedor in 1992.
The commemoration, held on May 23, 2026, brought together many members of the Bosnian and Herzegovinian community, Salzburg residents, and tourists who stopped to honor the victims and learn about the historical facts related to the suffering of civilians from Prijedor.
Through symbolic installations, photographs, and an educational program, organizers sent a clear message that the memory of innocent victims must never be forgotten. Special emphasis was placed on the importance of nurturing a culture of remembrance and combating denial of these crimes.
Visitors had the opportunity to see an installation featuring 102 red children’s chairs, representing the murdered children of Prijedor, and an artistic installation of a woman wearing a white armband and carrying a child – a symbol of the pain and suffering of thousands of families still searching for their loved ones.
The story of Hava Tatarević was also presented – a woman who lost her husband and six sons during the war, whose remains were found in the Tomašica mass grave.
The central part of the installations was a replica of the entrance to the Omarska concentration camp, along with banners displaying the names and photographs of 3,176 murdered residents of Prijedor. In the square, a map showing over 550 documented mass graves in Bosnia and Herzegovina was displayed, evoking very strong emotions in visitors.
Citizens received informational materials in German and English, while many visitors wore white armbands as a sign of support and solidarity with the victims.
Organizers reminded attendees that on May 31, 1992, Greater-Serbian nationalist authorities ordered the non-Serb population of Prijedor to mark their houses with white sheets and to wear white armbands when leaving their homes, which marked the beginning of exile, concentration camps, and the killing of thousands of civilians.
It was stated that the Bosnian and Herzegovinian community in Austria continues to organize such events to preserve the truth from oblivion and to teach new generations about the importance of peace, tolerance, and respect for human rights.
