A Tragedy in Europe
Between 1992 and 1995, Bosnia and Herzegovina endured one of the darkest chapters in Europe’s post-war history, a brutal war marked by ethnic cleansing, siege, and ultimately genocide.
Following its 1992 declaration of independence from Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina descended into war between the country’s main ethnic groups: Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Croats and Serbs. Each sought control over territory and political power within the new sovereign state.
Bosnian Serb forces, aiming to establish an ethnically homogenous Republika Srpska, carried out widespread attacks on Bosniak (Muslim) populations. Backed by Yugoslav military elements (JNA), they laid siege to towns, shelled civilians, and cut off humanitarian aid, forcing people to flee to other parts of the country.
One such town was Srebrenica. By 1993, the city had become a place of last resort for tens of thousands of Bosniak civilians who fled the violence elsewhere. Over several years, the enclave was besieged by Bosnian Serb forces. The access roads were cut off, humanitarian aid was blocked or restricted, and shelling was relentless. Refugees crowded into schools, stairwells, and open spaces, enduring harsh winters without shelter, food, or medicine. In response to this humanitarian emergency, the United Nations adopted Resolution 819 in April 1993, declaring Srebrenica a “safe area” under UN protection. A ceasefire was agreed, and a limited number of lightly armed peacekeepers from the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) were deployed to oversee the demilitarization of the town and facilitate humanitarian access. By January 1995, the Dutch Battalion, known as DutchBat, was stationed in Srebrenica and nearby Potočari. Their total strength never exceeded 600 men.
Despite this, in July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces launched a coordinated assault. The city fell on 11 July 1995. Over the course of several days, more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were systematically executed. Around 30,000 women, children, and elderly were forcibly deported. The killings were later ruled by international courts as genocide and the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War.
On 11 July 2025, the United Nations marks 30 years since the genocide in Srebrenica with the International Day of Reflection and Remembrance, a day to honour the victims and renew our collective responsibility to uphold truth, justice, and memory.
Memory Prevents Denial
The establishment of 11 July as the International Day of remembrance serves a powerful and urgent purpose: to protect the truth.
Genocide denial, distortion, and historical revisionism remain active threats, not only to the memory of those who were killed, but to peace, justice, and reconciliation in Bosnia and beyond. By officially recognising what happened in Srebrenica, the international community affirms a clear truth: this was genocide, as determined by both the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Court of Justice.
On 11 July 2024, during the first observance of the new international day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated:
“We must combat denial and revisionism and pursue efforts to identify every victim and bring every perpetrator to account. And we commit to continue learning from this unspeakable tragedy and sharing the stories and lessons of Srebrenica.”
Preserving memory does more than honour the victims, it protects the dignity of survivors and upholds the integrity of international law. It is also a tool against hate speech, genocide glorification, and disinformation, all of which continue to endanger peace in the Western Balkans. The General Assembly resolution establishing the commemoration day calls on Member States to preserve factual historical records and integrate the truth about Srebrenica into national education systems. This is essential to prevent future atrocities, especially among younger generations.
Memory is not just about the past. It is about resisting erasure, confronting falsehoods, and standing up for human dignity, even decades after the crimes took place.
Memory Protects Future Generations
The international community has long recognised the link between memory and prevention. On the first International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust in 2006, the UN Secretary general noted:
“Remembering is also a safeguard for the future. The abyss reached in the Nazi death camps started with hatred, prejudice and anti-Semitism. Recalling these origins can remind us to be ever on the lookout for warning signs.”
The same warning applies to Srebrenica.
By remembering what happened, how prejudice and hatred escalated into violence, we become more alert to early warning signs. Memory helps protect future generations from repeating the same mistakes.
This responsibility goes beyond individual awareness. This duty of remembrance is at the core of the United Nations’ genocide prevention mandate. Member States are called upon to preserve historical truth, promote tolerance, and equip future generations with the tools to resist division and violence.
Memory serves not just to reflect on past tragedies, but to guide our actions in the present and give hope for the future.
Memory Supports Survivors’ Dignity
Three decades after the genocide in Srebrenica, the pain remains deeply present, especially for survivors and families who have never recovered the remains of their loved ones. For many, the search continues. So does the grief.
The International Day of Reflection and Commemoration exists, first and foremost, to honour the victims. But it also recognises the enduring trauma carried by those who survived, not only the mass killings, but the displacement, the loss, and the ongoing denial of what they experienced.
Preserving memorial sites, collecting survivor testimonies, and sharing the truth is more than an act of remembrance. It is a way of restoring dignity. It acknowledges suffering that is still felt and validates the stories of those who witness what the world failed to prevent firsthand. Public recognition plays a crucial role in supporting healing and reconciliation. It ensures that those who survived are not left to carry their history alone.
The memory of what happened in July 1995 must remain alive, not only in Bosnia and Herzegovina but across Europe and the world.
Thirty years after the genocide, the people of Srebrenica continue to rebuild. Families continue to search. Survivors continue to speak.
Their resilience is a reminder that even in the aftermath of unspeakable horror, dignity can be reclaimed, and peace can be pursued, if we choose truth, uphold justice, and refuse to forget.
Additional links:
- Srebrenica – Timeline of a Genocide (UNIRMCT – International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals)
- International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, 11 July
- Exhibition: “From Words to Violence: Lives Behind the Fields of Death” (17 June – 18 July 2025 – available online)
- Combating Holocaust and Genocide Denial. Protecting Survivors, Preserving Memory, and Promoting Resilience. (Policy Paper – JUNE 2022)
- International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime