Students in Tuzla and Breza Learn About War, Genocide in Srebrenica, and the Importance of Memory Culture

(Patria) - As part of the project "Building Long-Term Peace in BiH: Investing in the Future," field activities continued with memory classes for elementary school students.

Two memory classes were held today, at the "Centar" Elementary School in Tuzla and the "Safvet-beg Bašagić" Elementary School in Breza.

At the "Centar" Elementary School in Tuzla, students were addressed by Dr. Fatima Klempić Dautbašić, a doctor who worked in the wartime hospital in Srebrenica during the war.

Through her personal testimony, she spoke about the extremely difficult working conditions, the lack of medicines and medical supplies, hunger, injuries, and moments when doctors, despite their knowledge, experience, and desire to help, were often powerless in the face of the scale of human suffering.

A particularly poignant part of her testimony concerned the memory of her underage cousin, who was severely wounded in the stomach and whom she could not help. His only request was for her to be with him as he died.

This testimony brought to the students not only the wartime daily life in Srebrenica but also the deep personal consequences that survivors carry decades after the war.

At the "Safvet-beg Bašagić" Elementary School in Breza, the speaker was Almedina Pašalić, an employee of the Srebrenica Memorial Center.

Through her own experience, she spoke about life in Srebrenica before the war, the war years, growing up in a besieged city, and children's education in conditions of extreme scarcity.

She particularly emphasized that students, even without basic working materials, often continued to learn, strive, and achieve results with just a thin notebook and a pencil.

Speaking about parting with her father in Potočari, Pašalić recalled his words that they would see each other again in Tuzla and that he would come after them. Unfortunately, he never came. He was killed during the genocide in Srebrenica.

The testimonies of Dr. Fatima Klempić Dautbašić and Almedina Pašalić left a strong impression on the students and once again confirmed how important it is for young people to learn about the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the genocide in Srebrenica through facts, personal testimonies, empathy, and understanding.

- Memory classes provide young people with an opportunity to learn about the war and the genocide in Srebrenica through facts, personal testimonies, and empathy. Our goal is for education about the past to be the foundation for understanding, responsibility, and building lasting peace.

Only through open conversation and preserving the truth can we build a society where atrocities are never repeated - said the project coordinator Almir Salihović.

This activity is implemented with the support of the United Nations Secretary-General's Peacebuilding Fund, within the project "Building Long-Term Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Investing in the Future," which the Srebrenica Memorial Center is implementing together with BIRN BiH and the Association "Forgotten Children of War."