A local pub in Srebrenica is to be reconstructed into a youth centre, and a Dutch organisation is to finance the project with 600.000 BAM.
Representatives of the Netherlands PortAgor organisation spoke with Srebrenica mayor Mladen Grujicic over financing the project today.
“We will put in the effort and do whatever is in our power to accelerate the administration process, as we wish for the works to begin as soon as possible,” he said, adding that local companies from Srebrenica will be involved in the works “so that the money stays in Srebrenica.”
The administration will try to save as much money as possible in the process so that other existing projects can be financed with it as well.
The project was the idea of a group of young people in Srebrenica, members of a local band, who are behind the Srebrenica Wave music festival, which has been taking place in the town since 2015 with support from the Netherlands organisation and an international youth network.
The ‘Srebrenica Wave’ organisation was today officially registered as well, with the aim of improving the lives of local citizens.
“We fought to realise our dream. The building will be multi functional and will serve as a place for various cultural events,” said Muamer Civic, a member of the organisation.
“This is a big boost for Srebrenica,” he said. “Our goal is to change the situation in the city. We spoke of new projects as well,” he said.
PortAgor director Jan van Esch has been coming to Srebrenica for 20 years already.
“Srebrenica is known throughout the world for its past. Our goal is for Srebrenica to be known for something different in the future. The multi functional centre will be the hub of culture in the entire region,” he said.
The town is known for the 1995 massacre that took place after Bosnian Serb forces conquered the UN proclaimed safe zone. Dutch peacekeepers were deployed there to keep it safe. The outnumbered Dutch soldiers did not intervene as Bosnian Serb forces rounded up men and boys in the city for execution, known today as the Srebrenica genocide.
