Tree planting in Derry in memory of Srebrenica massacre victims

By Brendan McDaid
Published 26th Jun 2023, 12:46 BST
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Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Patricia Logue, has announced she will plant a tree in the garden of St Columb’s Park House to commemorate all those who were killed in the 1995 genocide at Srebrenica.

The planting will take place at 4pm on Thursday July 6 and the day's events will include the screening of a short film relating to the genocide in the Guildhall at 4.30pm and the lighting of Council buildings that evening in green and white.

These are the colours of the Srebrenica Flower, the symbol of the Mothers of Srebrenica who have fought tirelessly for truth and justice since the massacre.

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"I am pleased that we are able to show solidarity with all those who suffered during the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Mayor Logue.

A Bosnian woman weeps next to the coffins of Muslim men and boys before their burial in Potocari, near Srebrenica, East Bosnia and Herzegovina, 11 July 2004. The recently identified remains of 338 Muslim men, aged from 15 to 70, were buried in a common funeral, marking the ninth anniversary of the massacre of Srebrenica, Europe's worst atrocity since World War II. More than 7,000 Muslim men and boys were separated from their women and killed by Serb forces in mass executions, following the Serb capture of the United Nations "Safe Haven Zone" in Srebrenica in July 1995. Around 20,000 people attended the funeral. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)A Bosnian woman weeps next to the coffins of Muslim men and boys before their burial in Potocari, near Srebrenica, East Bosnia and Herzegovina, 11 July 2004. The recently identified remains of 338 Muslim men, aged from 15 to 70, were buried in a common funeral, marking the ninth anniversary of the massacre of Srebrenica, Europe's worst atrocity since World War II. More than 7,000 Muslim men and boys were separated from their women and killed by Serb forces in mass executions, following the Serb capture of the United Nations "Safe Haven Zone" in Srebrenica in July 1995. Around 20,000 people attended the funeral. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)
A Bosnian woman weeps next to the coffins of Muslim men and boys before their burial in Potocari, near Srebrenica, East Bosnia and Herzegovina, 11 July 2004. The recently identified remains of 338 Muslim men, aged from 15 to 70, were buried in a common funeral, marking the ninth anniversary of the massacre of Srebrenica, Europe's worst atrocity since World War II. More than 7,000 Muslim men and boys were separated from their women and killed by Serb forces in mass executions, following the Serb capture of the United Nations "Safe Haven Zone" in Srebrenica in July 1995. Around 20,000 people attended the funeral. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)

"The memory of what was inflicted on the Bosnian community should be kept alive so that such an event never ever happens again."

The event also aims to highlight the work of the Mothers of Srebrenica in the years since, advocating justice, acknowledgement and reconciliation.

A group of community leaders and councillors were hosted in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Remembering Srebernica in March of this year to learn about the genocide.

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They visited Sarajevo and Srebrenica and heard first-hand harrowing accounts of the genocide of over 8,000 Bosnian boys and men that took place during a three day period.

The commemoration has been organised as a follow-up to the visit to show solidarity with the Mothers of Srebrenica.

The public are welcome to attend the events.

Related topics:Patricia LogueMayorDerryStrabane District CouncilDerry City