The Council of the Congress of Bosniak Intellectuals (VKBI) has supported an initiative by the Bosnian-Herzegovinian community in the city of Mississauga and the Institute for the Research of Genocide, Canada, to erect a memorial to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide in that Canadian city.
The VKBI emphasizes that, in light of the United Nations General Assembly resolution establishing an International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide, there is an obligation to preserve the truth about the genocide and actively foster a culture of remembrance.
“We are deeply aware of the importance of building a memorial that will serve as a lasting testament to the genocide that was committed and uphold the dignity of its victims. Therefore, the construction of a memorial in Mississauga carries profound historical, legal, and moral significance. It represents a concrete contribution toward implementing the message of the United Nations General Assembly resolution,” the VKBI states.
They add that the memorial will serve as a permanent reminder and testament to the 8,372 individuals who were brutally murdered, ensuring that the victims are never forgotten and that their names are not relegated to the margins of history. Its construction will make a significant contribution to the fight against genocide denial and attempts at revisionism, serving as a strong bulwark for preserving the facts established by the rulings of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. They believe that for the families of the victims, and especially for the mothers of Srebrenica, this memorial represents international recognition of their suffering and their tireless struggle for truth and justice, and at the same time it will be a place where young people can learn about the dangers of hate speech, extreme nationalism and ideologies that can lead to mass crimes.
The VKBI reminds that Canada was a proud co-sponsor of this resolution, thereby once again confirming its dedication to truth, justice and preserving the memory of the victims of genocide.
They emphasize that the memorial is being built after the Parliament of Canada recognized the genocide in Srebrenica and declared July 11 as the Day of Remembrance for the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica in Canada.
“Supporting the construction of this memorial and expressing gratitude to the City Council of Mississauga, we consider this moment historically important for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the city of Mississauga and Canada. The memorial will stand forever in Mississauga as a place where every mother, every survivor and every righteous person can express their grief and honor the victims. It will be a symbol of collective memory and a permanent reminder to humanity. It will bear witness to the triumph of truth over lies and convey the universal message that the civilized world will not accept the denial, minimization or relativization of the genocide committed against Bosniaks in Srebrenica in July 1995,” VKBI announced.
