Thousands gather in Srebrenica to mark 31 years since genocide

Ten newly identified victims were buried as the more than 8,000 slain Bosnian Muslim men and boys were remembered.Published On 11 Jul 2026Thousands have gathered in Bosnia and Herzegovina to mark 31 years since the Srebrenica-genocide" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="163578" data-entity-type="event">Srebrenica genocide, as leaders and activists worldwide use the anniversary to call on people to fight dehumanisation.On Saturday, mourners, survivors, foreign dignitaries and religious leaders gathered at the Srebrenica-potocari-memorial-center" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="163579" data-entity-type="location">Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center to commemorate those who were killed in 1995. People took part in the annual peace march before 10 newly identified victims were buried.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Bosnia’s Esmir Bajraktarevic: Child of Srebrenicalist 2 of 3‘We can relate’: Bosnia fans bring passion, Palestine support, to World Cuplist 3 of 3UN discusses prevention of genocide: Six times it failed to do just thatend of listBosnian Serb forces overran the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, killing more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys over several days. Srebrenica had been declared a protected “safe area” by the United Nations Security Council two years earlier.Denis Becirovic, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said honouring those who were killed was crucial to maintaining stability.“If we fail to preserve the truth about our past, we will have neither a present nor a future,” he said.The Dutch ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Henk van den Dool, said education was key to preventing a repeat of similar atrocities.“One of the common goals we share with the Srebrenica Memorial Center, with the mothers, and with the survivors is to translate this enduring warning into meaningful action. One of the most meaningful and effective ways to do that is through education,” he said.Pursuit of justiceEvery year on July 11 , newly identified victims are buried at the Srebrenica-potocari-memorial-center" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="163579" data-entity-type="location">Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center, as investigators continue to search for the remains of people buried in mass graves in surrounding areas.