Srebrenica 1995 – Reflection and Commemoration
Screbrenica – Potocari Cemetery
On this solemn day, the European Union for Progressive Judaism joins individuals, communities, and institutions across Europe and the world in marking the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. We remember and honour the over 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys who were systematically murdered in July 1995 in and around Srebrenica. This atrocity, recognized as genocide by international courts, remains one of the darkest chapters in post-war European history.
We affirm the importance of international recognition and remembrance of the genocide. We welcome the initiatives of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), which has long stood with survivors and Bosniak communities in affirming the truth of what occurred. We commend the Srebrenica Muslim-Jewish Peace and Remembrance Initiative, launched on 27 January 2024 by Menachem Z. Rosensaft, former General Counsel of the World Jewish Congress, together with Husein Kavazović, Grand Mufti of Bosnia. This initiative embodies a powerful commitment to joint remembrance of the victims of both the Holocaust and the Srebrenica genocide, and to the rejection of antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and all forms of hatred.
As Jews, we know the enduring pain of genocide. The memory of the Shoah is deeply woven into our identity and our moral consciousness. We understand the profound weight of loss, the silence of those never given the chance to speak, and the imperative of remembrance. The call of “Never Again” demands solidarity with all communities who have endured collective violence, including those who suffered in Srebrenica.
We join the call for European societies to include the memory of Srebrenica in their civic education, public discourse, and commemorative practices. Genocide denial, historical revisionism, and the political manipulation of memory continue to pose serious threats to the memory of victims, to reconciliation, and to democratic values.
As members of the progressive Jewish community, we remain committed to a Europe rooted in pluralism, justice, and respect for all people of good will. On this day of remembrance, we recommit ourselves to the shared work of peace, dignity, and the preservation of truth.
Zikhronam livracha – May the memory of the victims be for a blessing.
