Project 'Beyond Words' supported volunteering program at the Srebrenica Memorial Center

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Srebrenica Memorial Center, within the framework of the "Beyond Words" project, has supported a youth volunteering program. This is a project of the Memorial Center institution that deals with recording and indexing oral history - testimonies of survivors of the genocide in Srebrenica and family members of those killed in the genocide. Through its activities, the Memorial Center strives to involve young professionals from all over the country, which has also resulted in providing opportunities for volunteer research work.

Armin Šuvalić, a Master of Arts in English, lives and works in Doboj Istok. He applied for volunteering at the Memorial Center. "Denial is only possible if those who survived do not continue to remind us all that it really happened. It is only possible in this way, because year after year there are fewer and fewer survivors. If their stories are not recorded, new generations will not know much about it. I am glad that at least in this way I had the opportunity to contribute to preserving this memory and I hope that the project will fulfill its true purpose," said Armin.

Volunteer work is also an opportunity for descendants and relatives of the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica to contribute to the memory and work of the Memorial Center.

"Given that through my personal experience I am aware of how difficult it is for those who survived to speak, I feel deep respect for all those who have gathered enough courage to be part of the process of documenting history. My motivation is respect and support for all of them, who have enough strength and courage to work on documenting history," noted Azra Delić.

Master of Laws, Nidžara Zekić, also participated in the volunteer program: "I have been following the work of the Srebrenica Memorial Center for a long time and I wished to contribute to their work in at least some way. That's why I was overjoyed when I got the opportunity to volunteer on the Beyond Words project."

Volunteers contributed through translating materials, participating in searching for 'keywords' that will facilitate research work on materials, proofreading and editing existing materials.
"All of us are responsible for giving a part of ourselves, and doing everything we can, regarding Srebrenica, and that is truly the only way we show that we share the pain of the victims," adds Muamera Boškailo.

"By implementing volunteer activities within the 'Beyond Words' project, the Srebrenica Memorial Center has provided an opportunity for young people from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina to participate in the center's activities and contribute to the development of the SMC in terms of strengthening the institution's capacities. Concrete activities on creating transcripts, translations, and indexing video stories of oral history lasting over 60 hours significantly contribute to increasing the visual history collection of the MC archive. The project shows how important it is to create a framework for serious research work on preserving testimonies," concluded Mahir Omerović, project coordinator.

Within the project, at least 50 video testimonies will be indexed, which will be the basis for content searching by researchers from the country and the world. Also, material translations will be carried out, and on December 9, on the International Day of Remembrance and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and Prevention of Genocide, the publication "Beyond Words", a result of research work supported by UNDP and UNHCR through the Office of the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, will be presented at the Memorial Center.