To our partners and friends at Holocaust memorial centers worldwide,

Today, on the International Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust, we would like to highlight the efforts of the Srebrenica Memorial Center in preserving the memory of the Holocaust and fighting against denial and relativization of these atrocities.

 We are proud to share that the Srebrenica Memorial Center has taken part in a volunteer-expert exchange with Auschwitz Jewish Center and has partnered with the Arolsen Archives to support the volunteer action #everynamecounts. We are also partnering with the Mauthausen Memorial on remembrance and memorialization activities and have collaborated extensively with the USC Shoah Foundation on oral history indexing. Additionally, we work closely with the Jewish community in Bosnia and Herzegovina to combat Holocaust denial and antisemitism.

 As we remember the victims of the Holocaust, it is important that we also take time to reflect on the deep emotional toll these atrocities have had not only on the survivors and victims’ families but on all of humanity. The Holocaust reminds us of the darkest depths to which mankind is capable of sinking and the devastating consequences of hatred and intolerance. As Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and human rights advocate, once said, “For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.” We must remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust, whose memory should serve as a call to action to continue to fight against hatred and discrimination in all its forms. It is our common duty to stand united against alliances rooted in denial and revisionism – to quote Alice Wairimu Nderitu: “Holocaust and Srebrenica genocide deniers work together.” The Srebrenica Memorial Center, through its partnerships, volunteer activities, and community engagement, is committed to bearing witness and ensuring that the victims of the Holocaust are never forgotten.

 In addition, countering hate speech and promoting tolerance and understanding are crucial steps in preventing future atrocities. The Holocaust was a tragic consequence of the spread of hateful and discriminatory ideologies. We must all work to promote a culture of respect and understanding and speak out against hate speech and discrimination in all its forms.  In cooperation with the Jewish community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Srebrenica Memorial Center is dedicated to combatting denial and antisemitism in the interests of nurturing a more tolerant and humane future.

 We want to emphasize that we remain committed to fighting against denialism and the relativization of the Holocaust in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These atrocities must never be forgotten, and we must continue to work assiduously to ensure that they are never repeated.

Sincerely,

Dr. Emir Suljagic

Srebrenica Memorial Center