A WORCESTER housing association joined local organisations in delivering a commemoration of Srebrenica Memorial Week, an event that remembers those who were murdered in the Bosnian Genocide.
Guest speaker Aida Haughton MBE, a British Bosnian who has been living in Stoke-on-Trent since 2010 delivered a workshop on the 10 stages of genocide.
Aida organises educational trips to Bosnia and Herzegovnia to raise awareness of war, hate speech and war trauma.
The Mayor of Worcester, Coun Mel Allcott joined the event, with this years theme being ‘I am because you are.’
Coun Allcott said: “In 1995, more than 8000 Muslims were murdered in an appalling genocide.
“We need to reflect on the fact that genocides do not happen suddenly, they do not happen overnight and they do not occur out of nothing.
“Every single genocide is preceded by a slow and pernicious process of deterioration that undermines and ultimately destroys the links bonding us as human beings.
“To avoid repeating humanity’s worst mistakes we need first to remember them and that is why events such as these are so important.”
Aida was awarded an MBE in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Tom Piotrowski, diversity and inclusion manager at Platform Housing Group said : “As we saw from the workshop delivered by Aida, the unspeakable horrors of past genocides were proceeded by low level discrimination and hate crime which then evolved into more sinister forms of persecution.
“We want to remain deeply aware of that fact and do our bit in building stronger communities in which diversity is celebrated and not
discriminated against.”
Aida, a Board member of Remembering Srebrenica West Midlands, said : “Our difficulties have continued even if the war ended 29 years ago.
“Whilst our pain and suffering are not represented throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is here in Britain that activists and organisations like Remembering Srebrenica Bosnia UK Network and New Vic Borderlines, help to raise awareness of the genocide and provide a platform for the survivors.
“Most of all, it remembers the innocent people that were killed and stand in solidarity with the victims.
“This act of remembrance means more than you will ever know.”
