Wirral NEU, Wirral Deen Centre and Remembering Srebrenica NW joined together with friends, schools, colleagues and civic leaders – including the Mayoress of Wirral – on 7 July to remember and learn from the Srebrenica genocide, which took place 29 years ago in July 1995. Thousands of Muslim men and boys were murdered and women abused over a few days, all in a supposedly UN safe-zone, simply because of their identity.
At Liverpool Parish Church those attending were invited to remember by reading statements whilst a candle was lit, and then to listen to poems from local school children. We also heard from Jasmin Dajic, a survivor from Bosnia, whose powerful story reminded us of our common humanity and interconnectedness. Finally we were invited to pledge to stand against hate and intolerance and learn from the lessons from Srebrenica – aware that it could happen here.
On 11 July, Srebrenica Memorial Day, 30 children from 2 Wirral schools took part in the annual Wirral We Are One football festival to remember Srebrenica, organised by NEU member Andy Heywood, at Tranmere Rovers FC. One of the schools also had a visit from Andy to learn from Srebrenica prior to attending the football event.
Andy also organises the annual We Are One football festival for adults, with plenty of representation from the Wirral Deen Centre and friends and family.
At the annual NW Srebrenica Memorial Service at Manchester Cathedral, also on 11 July, our Wirral NEU International Solidarity Officer Neil Sledge described some of the many ways we can all take action to counter hate, prejudice and discrimination in our schools, workplaces and communities. He also spoke of how he was inspired to share the stories, lessons and messages from survivors of Srebrenica following an NUT delegation to Bosnia in 2017, and has strived to do this through his work and voluntary roles ever since.
Every year, Remembering Srebrenica selects a theme that reflects an aspect of the genocide that needs to be commemorated, but also speaks to communities here in the UK. The theme for 2024 is ‘I am Because You Are’.
The inspiration comes from the word ‘Ubuntu’, a South African term which is often translated as “I am because you are”. The former anti—apartheid and human rights activist, Archbishop Desmond Tutu summarised it in the following way: “Ubuntu speaks about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness … We are all connected. What unites us is our common humanity… We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas what you do, what I do, affects the whole world. Taking that a step further, when you do good, it spreads that goodness; it is for the whole of humanity.”
The theme for this year will underline the importance of standing up against those who try to divide us and standing up for each other against hatred, discrimination, harassment or prejudice. It will also help empower everyone in our communities to understand the importance of interconnectedness to help build a safer, stronger, and more cohesive society for all.
The genocide at Srebrenica is a stark symbol of man’s inhumanity against man. Prior to the breakup of Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina encapsulated the interconnectedness of humanity. It was renowned for being a melting pot of cultures in which Muslims, Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Jews, and those of other faiths and no faith lived side by side and in peace. Sarajevo, the capital, was known for being the “Jerusalem of Europe” as the only European city to have a Mosque, Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and Synagogue in the same neighbourhood.
However, the rise of ultra nationalism ripped apart the fabric of communities as Bosnian Serbs sought to create a greater Serbia and following a campaign of dehumanisation and ethnic cleansing, around a hundred thousand Bosnian Muslims were murdered with over 8,300 men and boys murdered in the town of Srebrenica alone, over two million people displaced, and around fifty thousand women systematically raped in what the UN termed as the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War.
The driving force behind the campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing was built upon the belief that one group was superior to the other and created divisions based on this ideology.
This year’s theme will therefore serve as a reminder that the common bonds we have as human beings are far more important than that which divides us. We must strive beyond simply living individual lives or separated community lives and instead live lives that are interconnected by playing our part in rejecting hatred, division, and building more cohesive communities.
Finally, we also hope that the theme will reinforce how fragile humanity can be and the need for humans to be constantly vigilant and nourish and cherish the relationships with one another as individuals who are inextricably intertwined.
Next year is the 30th anniversary of the Bosnian genocide and the NEU has big plans locally, regionally and nationally to commemorate, remember, learn and pledge. There are lots of teaching resources, assemblies and activity ideas at www.srebrenica.org.uk/learn
If you would like more information about opportunities for classroom workshops, football events or other community activities etc for 2024/5 just contact Neil at neil.sledge@neu.org.uk!
Neil Sledge
Wirral NEU ISO
Co-Chair NW Board for Remembering Srebrenica
