At De Montfort University in Leicester
Virtual Bosnian Room model unveiled to support teachers in delivering anti-racist education in Wales
At De Montfort University in Leicester (United Kingdom), the launch of the virtual Bosnian Room was held, through the collaboration of Cardiff and Vale College, mXreality and Dr. Kim Sadique Kim from De Montfort University.
Dr Kim Sadique is also the Chair of the Remembering Srebrenica East Midlands Board and Patron of the BH UK Network.The Virtual Bosnian Room has been developed as part of the Action Plan to Combat Racism in Wales. This action addresses the report of the Welsh Senedd Committee on Equality and Social Justice (2024), ‘Actions not words: towards an anti-racist Wales by 2030’. It provides a clear opportunity for learning about anti-racism, a tool that teachers can use and a model that will support teachers in delivering anti-racism education in Wales and beyond, and which encourages students to be active, global citizens.
Its focus is on the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina through a virtual ‘representational’ space of the battery factory/UN Dutch Battalion base/Srebrenica Memorial Centre – before, during and after the genocide. Music in the virtual room is provided by Divanhana, artwork by Robert Mcneil MBE, plus a clip from “Untold Killing”, Season 1: Srebrenica – to provide a fully educational experience. 
– The Bosnian room provides a platform to see where the genocide took place, connecting with space, events and people. It then presents the what, why, and how of identity-based violence associated with the ten stages of genocide. It facilitates empathy and challenges students to consider what they can do to stand up, speak out and work to build and sustain more cohesive societies. The platform is supported by educational materials – a guide and examples for using the platform. It was really important to me that the Bosnians in the hall, those who survived the genocide and mass crimes, were satisfied with the work done and that we portrayed their lived experiences as faithfully as possible. Emphasizing their voices and experiences was at the center of this project – said Dr. Kim Sadique. 
The launch of the virtual Bosnian Room in Leicester was attended by His Excellency, Mr. Osman Topcagic, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United Kingdom, who officially opened the ‘virtual room’. Also present were members of the Bosnian diaspora including Dr. Anes Ceric (Honorary Consul of Bosnia and Herzegovina), collaborators from England (mXreality) and Wales ( Cardiff and Vale College – Coleg Caerdydd a’r Fro ), the co-chair of the Welsh committee of Remembering Srebrenica – Wales , @Abbi Carter, academics from across the UK, and senior police officers. A recorded message (stating the importance of the work of the Bosnian Room) was broadcast by Mr. Vanja Filipovic, Head of the Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to #NATO , and welcomed by Professor Simon Oldroyd, Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at De Montfort University.
