In the evening, a dinner was organized at the premises of the Bosnian House in Birmingham for the staff and volunteers of the charity “Remembering Srebrenica” as a sign of gratitude and respect for their work and contribution to ensuring that the genocide in Srebrenica is not forgotten.
A dinner with a variety of dishes was prepared for the guests, including traditional Bosnian dishes prepared by the housewives with a lot of love and gratitude. The guests did not hide their delight with the welcome and the delicious dishes, thanks to our hard-working hostesses from Birmingham and Coventry.
Members of the Bosnian community in the UK have recognised the tireless efforts and dedication of all those who dedicate so much time to raising awareness of Srebrenica and using the lessons of the genocide to work towards promoting cohesion and combating hatred and intolerance in their communities.
The evening was attended by representatives of various communities from the UK, Dr Nasir Awan MBE DL , Her Majesty’s Ambassador, Queen Elizabeth II, Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, Shabrana Hussain , Member of the Local Council for Housing and Settlements, Dr Waqar Azmi OBE , Founder of the “Remembering Srebrenica” organisation; representatives of the British police, representatives of the regional committees of Remembering Srebrenica and bh. communities in Great Britain.
On behalf of the host, BH UK Network, Dr. Anes Cerić extended a warm welcome to the guests and thanked them for the organization’s continued work in contributing to the development of a better, safer and more tolerant society. “On behalf of all Bosnians and Herzegovinians in the UK, we would like to thank the staff and hardworking volunteers of the charity “Remembering Srebrenica”, said Dr. Cerić.
The attendees were addressed by Dr. Nasir Awan MBE DL: “ This event is very important and therefore we consider that the representative of Her Majesty, the Queen Elizabeth II, should be here. I would like to pay tribute to the brave Bosnians and Herzegovinians, the survivors who are here. I was in Srebrenica. Even now it is difficult for me to talk about over 8000 graves, lost lives. I will never forget them. This should never happen again anywhere. I admire the Bosnian community, and although I am aware that they will never forget what happened, I see that they have learned to move on, and have integrated in this country. You are very brave people, all I can do is praise and salute you. ”
At this festive occasion, awards were also presented to eight regional English committees and three national committees in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as to champions of the organization Remembering Srebrenica UK. (Remembering Srebrenica), by survivors of genocide and crimes against humanity in Bosnia and Herzegovina now living in the UK. The awards were presented to; Dr Louise Livesey, Kim Sadique, Matt Shaer, Dr Nasir Awan MBE DL, Martin Garrod, Phil Ginnings, Jessica Foster, Jane Drapkin and Amil Khan.
Dr Waqar Azmi OBE, founder of Remembering Srebrenica, also addressed the guests. “I have no doubt that these awards will be an additional incentive for our champions, volunteers, ambassadors, patrons and members of regional and national committees to do more to preserve memory and help build stronger, safer communities for all. Thank you to BH UK Network and all members of the Bosnian community for this great honour,” said Dr Waqar.”.
The dinner was spent in a pleasant atmosphere, and the fact that the plates were empty shows how delicious and beautifully arranged the food was. The atmosphere of the evening was greatly enriched by our youth and traditional music. KUD “Mladost Bosne” amazed all present with the performance of traditional rounds with its choreographer Fahira Hasedžić .
The atmosphere was especially enhanced by the exhibition of works by academic artist Emira Ramić , who evoked emotions in those present with her paintings. Each painting told its own story. Those present were able to enjoy the beautiful works of the talented Emira during the dinner.
We sincerely thank the wonderful ladies who responded and contributed to the dinner and gathering taking place in a wonderful homely atmosphere.
BH UK Network
