Ultramarathon runners from Vukovar arrived in Potočari, having run a distance of 227 kilometers

(Patria) - Participants of the 13th Vukovar – Srebrenica ultramarathon, who started on July 6 from the Ovčara Memorial Center, arrived in Potočari today. They were welcomed by mothers and numerous media outlets.

By connecting two cities of suffering, Vukovar and Srebrenica, the aim is to raise awareness about the importance of remembrance and the final resolution of the issue of missing persons as an expression of fundamental humanity towards all those who still know nothing about the fate of their loved ones.

The ultramarathon has been held since 2012, from July 6 to 10, during which marathon runners cover 227 km in 5 stages from Vukovar (Ovčara) via Vinkovci, Brčko, Janja, and Zvornik to Srebrenica (Potočari). This year, there are 5 marathon runners in the Ultramarathon: Dražen Ćućić, Miroslav Dudić-Lovrić, Boban Pantović, Mirsad Softić, and Duško Štrbac, with a certain number of participants joining them.

Among them is 17-year-old Hamza Hamzić from Sapna, who was invited to this endeavor by a friend.

"This is a great honor, I was the youngest, but nothing is too difficult for our martyrs. It was hard, there were tough moments, but those people were looking for free territory under shelling, so it was easier for us," said Hamzić.

"We start from the valley of the crosses and arrive in the valley of the tombstones. We are bound by the same fate, unfortunately, that civilians were killed in this unfortunate war, regardless of their nationality. Life is life, it has no price. We are not professional athletes, but recreational runners. We are not running for medals, but for the embrace of the mothers of Srebrenica," said Ćućić.

The ultramarathon is held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović and Željko Komšić, and the Mayor of Zagreb, Tomislav Tomašević.