Lagumdzija from the UN: Srebrenica is not just a historical chapter, but a moral challenge of today

In a video address to the participants, Lagumdzija expressed gratitude to the United Kingdom for its continuous support of Bosnia and Herzegovina and for co-organizing the event alongside the Srebrenica Memorial Center. He noted that Srebrenica is not merely a historical chapter but a moral challenge for contemporary generations and the international community. He called for turning memory into responsibility, responsibility into justice, and justice into truth and education.

Lagumdzija highlighted that the genocide was not only a tragedy for Bosnia but also a symbol of the failure of the international community and the United Nations. He reminded attendees that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia established the legal truth, which served as the foundation for the UN General Assembly resolution declaring July 11 as the International Day of Reflection and Remembrance of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica.

Addressing contemporary global issues, he warned that genocide denial and historical revisionism are no longer marginal but are politically instrumentalized phenomena. He pointed to a disturbing trend of triumphalism where convicted war criminals are glorified. The Ambassador stressed that history shows genocide begins with words and dehumanization, citing the Holocaust and Rwanda as precedents.

To combat this, he advocated for moving court verdicts from legal files into educational programs. He called for stronger integration of Srebrenica’s lessons into genocide prevention frameworks and increased cooperation with the UN Office on Genocide Prevention.

The diplomat also highlighted the symbolic importance of the white stone "Srebrenica Flower" monument placed in front of the UN headquarters in New York, facing Potocari, as a permanent reminder within the UN system.

The conference, supported by the British Embassy Sarajevo and UK International Development, gathered domestic and international officials, UN representatives, and victims' associations. It aimed to strengthen a lasting UN framework for remembrance, accountability, and prevention of future atrocities.