THE NETHERLANDS COMMEMORATES 30 YEARS SINCE THE SREBRENICA GENOCIDE
Purpose of the Foundation
The purpose of the National Monument Srebrenica Genocide '95 Foundation is to realize a national monument in The Hague that commemorates the genocide in Srebrenica. We believe that this tragedy should be commemorated in our shared public space. It has been almost 30 years since this tragedy took place. Until today and despite several failed attempts, there is not a single national monument in the Netherlands that commemorates the Srebrenica genocide. It is therefore time for a memorial in the Netherlands as a sign of an official recognition of this tragedy through which the Netherlands and Bosnia are forever linked.
The Hague
The Hague: city of Law and Peace. The city where those responsible for the Srebrenica genocide stood trial. The city where every year the commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide is organized.
The Hague
Therefore, for us, The Hague is the only right place where the National Monument to the Srebrenica Genocide '95 should be placed. It is therefore gratifying that the mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, on the eve of the 25th commemoration which took place on July 11, 2020, let us know that he fully supports this initiative.
The Design
The existence of a physical space for commemoration is also important for the collective process of coming to terms with this history for both Dutch and Bosnian society.
The Design
A public monument explicitly designated for the Srebrenica genocide will be a valuable step forward towards reconciliation and a more tolerant future.
The Foundation
The foundation emerged from a working group dedicated to this initiative since 2019. The committee preparing the annual commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide took the lead in forming the working group.
The Foundation
The following organizations participated in the working group and now support the foundation: Association of Survivors of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide, BiH Platforma, Islamic Society of Bosniaks Netherlands, Dutchbat Association, Foundation for the History of Totalitarian Regimes and their Victims (SGTRS), Designing Memory.
Monument, memorial building or memorial space?
Meaning
We draw the meaning of the word 'monument' wider than usually thought; not 'something made of stone,' like the National Monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam. The English word 'memorial' seems more accurate to us for what we mean by 'monument'. Perhaps best translated as 'memorial space' or 'memorial building'.