Idea for the Srebrenica Flower came from Dr. Cerić: A symbol of remembrance of the genocide

The Srebrenica Flower has been accepted as a symbol of remembrance of the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was made by women from the association "Gračaničko keranje", and the initiative was launched by Dr. Mustafa Cerić, now an independent candidate for the Bosniak member of the Presidency, writes the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP).

Azemina Ahmedbegović, president of the association „Gračaničko keranje“, told Patria that the Srebrenica Flower was first presented in July 2011.

- Dr. Cerić asked us to make a flower that would be a symbol of the genocide. We made several designs, and he accepted the flower we have today – says Ahmedbegović, adding that Dr. Cerić later gave the Srebrenica Flower to the women of this association to be their property and to produce it in their workshops.

Dr. Cerić himself explained to the news agency Patria that his wish and idea is for the Srebrenica Flower to be a symbol of remembrance of all genocides in the world.

- I am glad that it is slowly being accepted. People feel the need to express their remembrance and prevent oblivion in this way as well. It is a personal act of an individual and as such has real significance – said Dr. Cerić for NAP.  

The white color of the flower petals represents suffering, the green color in the center of the flower represents hope, and the 11 petals symbolize July 11, 1995, and the 11 genocides committed against Bosniaks in past wars.

The association „Gračaničko keranje“ has protected the design of the Srebrenica Flower and controls the quality of its production. It is made by women from this association, of which there are 200. Some of these women were left to fight through life alone because they lost their husbands. The flower helps them become economically independent and try to continue their lives with dignity.

These hardworking women produce about 10,000 flowers annually, which they sell for three marks each or give away.

- Two years ago, we had an order from Bursa in Turkey, for which we made 8,372 flowers, as many as, according to some estimates, perished in Srebrenica during the genocide, and then we sent an additional 2,000 flowers. A year earlier, in 2011, Jelko Kacin ordered about 700 flowers for the European Parliament, which we made in 24 hours and ran to the plane to send the flowers to Brussels. This year, we made about 3,000 flowers for „BH Telecom“, Energoinvest, and the University Clinical Center in Sarajevo  – says Ahmedbegović, writes Patria.