IGK in Canada Begins Implementing UN Resolution on Srebrenica

(Patria) - The implementation of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the 1995 Srebrenica genocide has begun in Canada through truth and justice programs as tools for conflict prevention.

Bearing in mind that words and speeches about remembrance and prevention from the Genocide Convention must be followed by concrete actions and steps, and that remembrance and commemoration are as important as accountability and the pursuit of justice for committed crimes, IGK has begun implementing the United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the Srebrenica genocide in anticipation of the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

"Considering that commemoration and memorialization play a crucial role in both honoring and remembering victims, as well as preventing the recurrence of discrimination, violence, and genocide, IGK will organize commemorations and memorializations next year on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide in the Canadian capital and the capitals of Canadian provinces and territories. The central Canadian commemoration and memorialization will traditionally be held in Windsor in front of the first monument to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide in the diaspora.

IGK is working on a book about the Srebrenica genocide in the Bosnian language for the needs of younger generations of Bosnian origin in Canada, the USA, and across the diaspora. Simultaneously, IGK is working on a book about the Srebrenica genocide in English for the needs of academic, university, research, and other entities in Canada, the USA, and the world. IGK will initiate a new, third resolution on the Srebrenica genocide in the Canadian Parliament," it was announced.

In cooperation with the Srebrenica Memorial Center, IGK will enrich the permanent exhibition on the Srebrenica genocide at Canada's most elite museum institution, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.

The goal of these activities is to inform the Canadian, American, and international public about the genocide and its implications.

"By keeping the memory of the victims alive, nurturing and maintaining education and understanding, IGK honors the victims, but also contributes to creating a Canadian society that actively works on genocide prevention. By focusing on Canadian commemorations and memorializations, education, and the exhibition at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, by focusing on institutional memory, IGK ensures that the lessons learned are shared across Canada and the world, fostering a culture of peace and societal understanding.

Ever since 2010, when the Parliament of Canada adopted the First Resolution on the Srebrenica Genocide and declared July 11th Canada's Day of Remembrance of Srebrenica, we have begun institutionally transferring genocide verdicts from courtrooms to classrooms across Canada and the world. Because one of the most powerful lessons we learned from the Srebrenica genocide is that memorialization is not just about the past; it is primarily about the future.

On International Human Rights Day, December 10th, we reiterate once again that the Srebrenica genocide is not a matter of opinion, but a historical and judicial fact. The verdicts of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia have confirmed that genocide was committed against Bosniaks in the UN safe zone of Srebrenica, and that judicial verdicts cannot be erased from human history, no matter how much someone tries.

We use our freedom to promote the freedoms of others. Only together can we prevent new genocides. Only together can we create a better future for our children," stated IGK.