KS Government Allocated 100,000 BAM for Marking the 31st Anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide

(Patria) - The Government of Sarajevo Canton at today's session adopted a Decision approving 100,000 BAM for co-financing activities marking the 31st anniversary of the genocide against Bosniaks in the UN Safe Area of Srebrenica, to the Foundation for Marking July 11, 1995 – the anniversary of the genocide.

The funds will support several program units: the central commemoration and funeral prayer for newly identified victims at the Memorial Center in Potočari, the Peace March (route Nezuk – Potočari and Žepa – Potočari), and scientific, cultural, and publishing projects related to the memorialization of the genocide.

"More than 8,000 men and boys were killed in Srebrenica simply because they were Bosniaks. The genocide is not relativized nor forgotten. Thirty-one years later, that pain is alive, present in every family still waiting to bury their loved ones. Institutions have no right to forget – they have an obligation to act. This decision is proof that the Sarajevo Canton takes that obligation seriously," stated the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton, Nihad Uk.

The Government of Sarajevo Canton has been present for years as an institutional partner in Srebrenica through support for sustainable return projects for displaced persons, investments in utility and traffic infrastructure, and direct financing of the work of the Srebrenica–Potočari Memorial Center. The Government Office for Support to Srebrenica was established precisely with the aim of making this engagement systemic and long-term, rather than an occasional gesture.

"Sarajevo Canton has proven to be a true friend of Srebrenica and the memorialization of the genocide. We are proud of everything we have built together and responsible for everything that still lies ahead," added the Director of the Government Office of Sarajevo Canton for Support to Srebrenica, Mirza Ibrahimović.

In July 1995, forces of the Army of Republika Srpska penetrated the Srebrenica enclave – a UN protected zone – and systematically killed more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys. The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia legally established that this constituted genocide. In May 2024, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring July 11 as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide.

The marking of the 31st anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide will be held on July 11, 2026, and support like this plays a key role in preserving memory and passing on the truth to future generations.