On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the genocide against Bosniaks in the UN safe zone of Srebrenica, the city of Srebrenica and its citizens were awarded the prestigious Mediterranean Peace Prize, while the symbol of memory of the victims of Srebrenica was solemnly placed among the world symbols of suffering, along with Guernica and Hiroshima, in the Totem of Peace sanctuary in Naples.
The ceremony was held under the auspices of the United States of the World, with the support of numerous international institutions and organizations, and Srebrenica was represented by the deputy mayor of the municipality and president of the Organizing Committee for the 30th anniversary of the genocide, Hamdija Fejzić.
In his address, Fejzić emphasized the profound symbolism of this recognition, recalling that Srebrenica, even thirty years after the genocide, remains a universal symbol of the struggle for truth, justice and peace.
“Srebrenica today is not only a symbol of pain, but also a universal symbol of resistance to forgetting and denying the truth. This award is not only a recognition of the past, but also a pledge for the future – a future based on justice and truth,” emphasized Fejzić.
He recalled that the genocide committed in Srebrenica in 1995 was a tragedy for all of humanity and a warning to future generations, adding that the fight for truth and justice for the survivors and the families of the victims was not and will not be a fight for revenge, but for dignified remembrance and lasting peace.
“Srebrenica today bears two faces – the face of memory and the face of hope. We are building a community that believes in dialogue, respect and coexistence. Our message to the world is clear: memory is our strength, and peace is our future,” said Fejzić.
He expressed special gratitude to the United States of the World and Professor Michele Capasso for recognizing the significance of the Srebrenica fight for truth, as well as to representatives of the media who, with their reporting, help the voice of Srebrenica reach the world.
The inauguration of the shrine dedicated to Pope Francis, which, according to the Secretary General of the United States of the World Foundation, Michele Capasso, has become a unique symbol in the world, also gave the ceremony a special significance. Urns with relics of victims from the main countries affected by wars were placed in this monument, along with relics from the “martyr cities” of the 20th and 21st centuries – among them Srebrenica, Gernika, Hiroshima, Sarajevo, Aleppo, Gaza and many other symbols of human suffering.
Capasso pointed out that “every city brought a symbol of tragedy and hope”.
“An incredible sign from Gaza – Alaa al-Najjar, a pediatrician who lost nine of her ten children, sent a cloth she used to clean the faces of her little ones before burying them, with the names of each one written on them,” said Capasso.
He added that the space in the heart of Naples will become a monumental work, a symbol not only of migrants who died at sea, but also of victims of wars and cities of martyrs around the world.
“It will be a place of peace and a warning to all humanity,” he said, expressing the hope that Leo XIV will continue this mission.
The ceremony in Naples once again confirmed the universal value of remembrance and the obligation that the fight against denial and hatred remains a permanent mission of all responsible societies – announced the Organizing Committee for the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the genocide against Bosniaks in the “UN safe zone” of Srebrenica.
