Monument 'Srebrenica Flower' unveiled in Denmark: 'Forgetting is a great danger, the memory of the genocide will never fade'

(Patria) - In the Danish town of Tønder, organized by the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Denmark, a ceremony titled 'Remembering the Victims of the Srebrenica Genocide' was held yesterday.

The event gathered a large number of citizens, representatives of institutions, religious officials, and members of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian diaspora from various parts of Denmark.

The program began with the ceremonial unveiling of the monument 'Srebrenica Flower', a symbol of remembrance for more than 8,000 Bosniaks killed in the genocide committed in July 1995.

Along with numerous guests, the ceremony was attended by the Grand Mufti of the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Husein-ef. Kavazović, as well as the Director of the Department for Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of the Riyasat of the Islamic Community, Muhamed Jusić.

Also present were the Mufti for Western Europe, Senaid-ef. Kobilica, the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Denmark, Anesa Kundurović Mijak, representative in the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ramiz Salkić, and genocide survivors Fatima Klempić-Dautbašić and Hamed Bektić.

Grand Mufti Kavazović emphasized that remembering Srebrenica is a moral and human obligation for all generations, stressing that the truth about the genocide must be preserved and passed on to future generations.

- The memory of the Srebrenica genocide must not remain only an annual commemoration, but must be embedded in the foundations of society - through educational programs that will pass on the truth to generations, through laws that will prevent its denial, and through institutions that will ensure that crimes are never relativized or justified.

If we want a world where justice and peace are not fleeting ideals but lasting values, we must build them on an unquestionable truth - said Grand Mufti Kavazović.

He added that forgetting is a great danger, and that we must learn the lessons from Srebrenica.

- Srebrenica is not just the past, but a warning we must not ignore. Forgetting is not only an injustice to the dead - it is a threat to the living. The truth is not a burden, but the only path leading to a more just and safer world.

If we learn the lessons from the Srebrenica genocide, perhaps its victims did not suffer in vain. Perhaps their innocent sacrifice will illuminate a better future for all of us - concluded Kavazović.

The Mufti for Western Europe, Senaid-ef. Kobilica, pointed out the important role of the Bosniak diaspora in nurturing the culture of remembrance and emphasized that such events are an opportunity to convey the truth about the genocide to the European public.

- Everything we see here makes us happy and will be motivating for the people leading the Community and the congregations. The fact that we are here today unveiling a monument dedicated to the Srebrenica genocide is an important activity and something worth mentioning.

All of this needed to be done and built. Nurturing the culture of remembrance of the genocide is important to us, most of all for our generations. We do everything to physically bind them to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but we also need to provide them with this, to connect them with our homeland in this way.

This is also important for the Danes, our neighbors, because they know and feel our pain and our memory of the genocide committed in Srebrenica - said Mufti Kobilica.

Ramiz Salkić spoke about the importance of institutional struggle against the denial of genocide and attempts at historical revisionism.

- This is a great day for this country and for our people in Denmark. I want to thank the Kingdom of Denmark, which has a sense for such things. We must continue to work on remembering all victims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and this is one way.

The monument we unveiled today speaks to how important it is for our Bosniaks in Denmark, this country, and everyone who knows what happened in Srebrenica - said Salkić.

Genocide survivor and one of the event organizers, Hamed Bektić, spoke emotionally about the monument, pointing out the importance of remembering the genocide committed against the Bosniaks of Srebrenica.

- I am truly happy that we have seen this day. The number of people who came is encouraging; of course, all of this shows that we are on the right path and that the memory of the genocide committed in Srebrenica will never fade - stated Bektić.

After the ceremonial unveiling of the monument, the central ceremony followed at the Tønder Cultural Center, during which messages were conveyed to those present about the importance of preserving the truth, the culture of remembrance, and the fight against the denial of genocide.

The Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Denmark, Anesa Kundurović Mijak, emphasized the significance of commemorating the Srebrenica genocide in European countries, especially at a time when the importance of confronting the past is increasingly discussed worldwide.

- We are here to remember more than eight thousand killed Srebrenica victims. Their lives were extinguished as a result of a systematic plan. We are here to show that forgetting is not an option - said Ambassador Mijak.

The President of the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Denmark, Rašid-ef. Malagić, also addressed those present.

- Today we gathered here for the twentieth time to pay tribute and remember the Srebrenica genocide. Srebrenica is not just a geographical place; it is a symbol of suffering and a warning to humanity.

It is our duty to preserve the memory of the killed Bosniaks of Srebrenica. Our children and our community will never forget what happened in Srebrenica - said Malagić.

A particularly emotional tone was given to the ceremony by the testimonies of survivors Hamed Bektić and Fatima Klempić-Dautbašić, who spoke about their wartime experiences and the importance of preserving the memory of the victims.

The artistic part of the program featured the choir 'Sabur' from Randers, while Emir Mujčin performed ilahis.

Yesterday's ceremony in Tønder once again demonstrated the strong connection of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian diaspora with the homeland and their commitment to preserving the memory of the victims of the Srebrenica genocide in a dignified, truthful, and lasting manner.