Peacebuilding Network: The anti-fascist struggle is the struggle of us all

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - On the occasion of the International Day of Fight Against Fascism and Antisemitism, the Peacebuilding Network reminds that every form of fascism should be fought every day.

The UN General Assembly, at its session on November 1, 2005, adopted an official Resolution on marking November 9 as the International Day of Commemoration of the Victims of the Holocaust. The Resolution appeals to all UN member states to honor the memory of the victims of the Holocaust and encourages the development of educational programs on the history of the Holocaust, in order to express determination in the fight against preventing genocide and all forms of antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia in the future.

“The Peacebuilding Network daily reminds the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina of the anti-fascist heritage and the anti-fascist struggle, which is still ongoing. It encourages and supports citizens to persevere in the fight against all forms of fascism, antisemitism, nationalism, hatred, and divisions. We fight against fascism every day of the year, not just on November 9,” said Dženana Dedić, a member of the Peacebuilding Network's Steering Committee.

Despite dedicated and long-term work on peacebuilding, BiH is unfortunately still a society where daily life is shaped by ethno-national politics, fascist symbols and murals of war criminals are visible and prominent on the streets, places of worship are desecrated by hate crimes, and vulnerable groups are addressed with hate speech. In BiH, there are still two schools under the same roof, and the entire society is divided into thirds and others. In BiH, hatred towards the "other" is still alive and maintained by the system, and the spread of religious and national hatred and intolerance, as well as the use of war-mongering rhetoric, keeps the citizens of BiH in constant fear.

Nataša Maksimović, president of the Peacebuilding Network, reminds of individual responsibility and the strength that each person carries: “Change always comes from within, from ourselves, we are all individually responsible both to ourselves and to others. Each of us can show by example that we can do better, each of us can and should use existing mechanisms, react to any form of fascism they notice, that is our task and responsibility. The Peacebuilding Network is here to show by example and action, but also to provide help and support to those who are making these efforts, if necessary, because the fight against fascism is the struggle of us all.”

The Peacebuilding Network reminds the ruling structures that they must justify the trust that citizens have placed in them in the elections, and this will happen when they start pursuing policies that do not lead to further divisions, but are focused on the needs of the society they represent, the needs of every individual. The Peacebuilding Network will, as before and in the future, continue to invest efforts to ensure that Bosnian-Herzegovinian society dedicates itself to building sustainable peace, restoring trust, and an even stronger and more decisive fight against all forms of fascism and antisemitism.

The Peacebuilding Network is a coalition that brings together 220 member organizations and schools from all over BiH, and which operates with the aim of building sustainable peace.