Holocaust Remembrance Day and the Prevention of Crimes Against Humanity is an international day of remembrance to remember all the victims of the Nazi regime during the Second World War as well as those genocides that occurred before and after it, including the one that occurred in July 1995 in Srebrenica, where more than 8,000 men, Bosniaks, were brutally killed. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the 25th anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica.
This day is celebrated all over the world, and in most countries January 27 is chosen as the date of celebration. On that date, this day of remembrance is also celebrated in Great Britain, and in Derby it is organized by the independent planning group within the national Holocaust Remembrance Day “HMD Trust”, with long-term support and cooperation from the Derby Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so as part of the program this year, a reception was arranged for many guests in the premises of our association.
As many times before, this project of the Bosnian Herzegovinian Association in Derby was supported by the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in London, with the presence of Minister Counsellor, Mr. Igor Bašić. In addition to numerous guests, the reception was also attended by the Mayor of Derby, Councillor Frank Harwood, and representatives of the Armenian Embassy, the Ukrainian and Jewish communities in Great Britain.
As for the program, in addition to the exhibition with a specific emphasis on this year’s theme “Stand Together”, the attendees were first greeted and welcomed by the president of our Association, Nermina Webster, and invited the attendees to lay flowers and pay tribute to the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica and other parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the monument located in the courtyard of the Bosnian Center in Derby. The rest of the program followed, in which a confession written by a witness to the genocide in Srebrenica was read and a short film was watched.
The attendees were addressed by the Mayor of Derby, Councillor Frank Harwood, a representative of the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in London, Minister Counsellor, Mr. Igor Bašić, a representative of the Armenian Embassy and the Ukrainian and Jewish communities in Great Britain, after which a snack with hot drinks was arranged for all attendees.
The program traditionally ended at the QUAD Center, the two-hour program of which was attended by the students of the Bosnian Additional School and our folklore group “Bosanski Biseri”. During the program, the students of our school, Dženita Salkić, were awarded the prize for winning the first place in the competition for the best designed poster on this year’s theme “Stand Together”, which is organized every year in all schools in the area of the city of Derby.
We congratulate Jenita on winning the first place, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all of you who contributed in any way and magnified the celebration of this very important event.
Nedzad Salkic
