St. Louis, 22 October 2026 – Director of the Srebrenica Memorial, Dr Emir Suljagić, met today in St. Louis with US Congressman Wesley Bell, a representative of the state of Missouri and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the United States House of Representatives. The meeting was organised with the support of the Congress of Bosniaks of North America (CBNA), as part of the Srebrenica Memorial delegation's visit to the United States.

The meeting focused on the position of the Srebrenica Memorial, political and institutional pressures on its work, and the importance of continued support from US institutions in protecting the historical truth about the Srebrenica genocide. Particular attention was paid to the actions of institutions of the Bosnia and Herzegovina entity of Republika Srpska towards Memorial employees, including police questioning and attempts to undermine the uninterrupted functioning of this state institution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Suljagić thanked Congressman Bell for his support to date, particularly for the joint statement he issued with Congresswoman Ann Wagner in August 2026, following the summoning of 26 current and former Memorial employees for police questioning. In that statement, the US members of Congress called for respect for the rule of law, protection of the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina's institutions, and the ability of the Memorial to carry out its mission without intimidation.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of US engagement in preserving the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina, countering genocide denial and historical revisionism, and protecting institutions that document war crimes and preserve the memory of their victims. The importance of continued cooperation with the US Congress on matters concerning Bosnia and Herzegovina was also discussed, including initiatives to strengthen international recognition of and education about the Srebrenica genocide.

A particular part of the discussion was devoted to expanding the Memorial's educational activities in the United States. The meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen the Memorial's institutional communication with US lawmakers, while emphasising the importance of long-term American support for preserving historically and judicially established facts, protecting human rights and safeguarding the democratic institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On this occasion, Suljagić invited Congressman Bell to visit the Srebrenica Memorial.