I had the honour of attending West Midlands Srebrenica Memorial Day as High Sheriff of the West Midlands. It was the 29th commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide and served as a poignant tribute to the victims and survivors in Srebrenica. It was hosted by Birmingham City Council and attended by many different regional leaders and residents of the city and wider region. There were several speakers, including an excellent opening speech by Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Ken Wood. The event also included a very special memorial art performance by Melek Ali Oglour and some beautiful music was performed by a soprano and guitarist both who had flown over specially to be at this Birmingham Memorial event.
It was a very powerful event and the theme in 2024 was ‘I am Because You Are’ which speaks about our interconnectedness and what unites us is our common humanity. The highlight of the event was hearing from a very special lady called Erneca Ibisevic-Hajdarevic who was a survivor of the genocide. In sharing the awful impact upon her own family she displayed incredible bravery in speaking to us all. The event finished with the signing of’ I am Because You Are’ commemorative statement which was signed by Birmingham Council of Faiths. It was wonderful to see Birmingham coming together to ensure that this genocide is never forgotten and never repeated anywhere.
