Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and parliamentarian of Bosnian heritage, Ed Husic, expressed on Tuesday their condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones in the Srebrenica genocide.

The condolences come ahead of the annual commemoration and burial of identified victims that takes place every July 11, the day the eastern enclave was overrun by Bosnian Serb forces and the executions of nearly 8,000 men and boys began in 1995.

“Each year on 11 July the world remembers the massacre in Srebrenica. We mourn the lives of those who were lost and honour the courage and resilience of those who survived and resisted.” the Prime Minister wrote.

“Together, we pledge to ensure that such tragic events are never forgotten and their lessons are always upheld. Such evil must never be repeated, against any people or nation.” he wrote, adding that, as Austrialians, “we commit to the principles of acceptance, respect and inclusion.”

“All of us have a role to play in ensuring this great country remains a place where everyone receives a fair go; where our differences don’t divide us, rather, they enrich us,” his statement said.

This, he argued, is “the promise of Australia, and why people from all over the world now call this country home,” adding that his country is “one of the most peaceful and harmonious multicultural societies on earth.”

“On behalf of the Australian Government and people, I offer my sincerest condolences to all those who lost loved ones in Srebrenica,” he wrote, wishing survivors and those mourning their loved ones to find peace, “knowing that their memory will remain in our hearts forever.”

Ed Husic, a member of Australia’s House of Representatives, representing Chifley, and whose parents are Bosnian immigrants, also issued a statement.

He wrote that the Srebrenica genocide is “the worst atrocity in Europe since the end of World War II.”

“Our thoughts are with many of those who continue to carry the wounds of their losses,” he added.

He wrote that the pain of those who carry those wounds will be honoured not only by ensuring that those who committed the atrocities will face justice, but also “by giving hope for a better future.”

“A future not simply based on tolerance and respect, but a genuine desire to live with our deepest differences of faith in a spirit of reconciliation,” he wrote.

He expressed gratitude to the organisers of the Srebrenica commemoration and all supporters of the event.