About us

The Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center for the Victims of the 1995 Genocide was established in 2000 by the decision of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. A place of remembrance for the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica, the Memorial Center is dedicated to preserving history and combatting the forces of ignorance and hatred which make genocide possible.

Central to the mission of the Memorial Center is the organization of the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Srebrenica genocide which takes place annually on July 11th. This commemoration includes a week-long program of activities and events which are designed to engage the local, national, and global communities in honoring the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica.

However, the work of the Memorial Center continues year-round, through research, projects, exhibitions, events, and publications intended to increase public awareness of the genocide as well as to commemorate its victims. Ongoing activities at the Memorial Center which exemplify this mission include: collecting personal artefacts of genocide; recording oral testimonies of genocide survivors; analyzing court verdicts and judicial proceedings relevant to establishing responsibility for the crimes committed during the genocide; combatting genocide denial; and raising global awareness about genocide and crimes against humanity with the goal of preventing their reoccurance in the future.

In fulfilling our mission, we are in constant cooperation with partner organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the wider region, and around the world. We remain extremely grateful to the institutions and individuals whose support for the activities of the Memorial Center demonstrate a shared commitment to our mission and values. These partnerships span the fields of art, journalism, academia, and media, allowing the message of Srebrenica to reach an ever-expanding audience through a diverse array of platforms and mediums.

Likewise, we encourage all of those interesting in helping to preserve the truth of the Srebrenica genocide to visit the Memorial Center. In our exhibitions, library, archive, and documentation center, researchers and practitioners alike will find an abundance of resources to assist them in their endeavors. 

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the persistance of genocide denial as well as religious and ethnic intolerance remain enormous obstacles to peace and reconciliation. At the Srebrenica Memorial Center, we recognize the immediate threat which these practices pose to the processes of transitional justice and peace-building. These same dynamics can be witnessed across the globe, where historical revisionism and ideologies of hatred continue to endanger marginalized communities and to corrode the very fabric of society. In all that we do, we are committed to a fact-based approach which promotes tolerance, dialogue, and collective healing. It is our sincere hope that as we work to confront the destructive forces which seek to negate the Bosnian historical experience, our efforts will prove an inspiration to all those facing similar threats to peace and stability worldwide. 

Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial Center and Cemetery for the Victims of the 1995 Genocide is the full legal name of this institution. With the goal of achieving greater recognizability and facilitating communication, this name is abbreviated as the Srebrenica Memorial Center for public correspondence. 

The coat of arms of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina appears in the upper right-hand corner of all official memoranda and communication, alongside the full legal name, reflecting the Srebrenica Memorial Center's status as a state institution. 

In the upper left-hand corner of these official documents is the visual solution which was adopted by the Memorial Center's Board of Directors for the purpose of increasing public recognition and engagement. This visual solution consists of six nišan tombstones of ascending height, accompanied by a stylized rendering of the abbreviated name. The solution was the artistic work of the creative team at the Fabrika Agency (www.fabrika.com), a regional leader in advertising, design, and marketing solutions. They have received several awards for the solution, which their team donated to the Srebrenica Memorial Center free of cost.

The Srebrenica Memorial Center library is an inclusive learning and research space open to the public of all ages. Thanks to the many individual and institutional donors who contributed to our campaign 'Books for Srebrenica,' we have been able to establish one of the largest libraries in this part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Among the more than 11,000 works available at our library, one can find resources and school textbooks for the youngest of Srebrenica's residents as well as an expansive selection of leading international scholarship related to regional studies, international law, genocide, crimes against humanity, and much more. From cutting-edge publications to historical texts dating back over a century, scholars and casual readers alike are sure to find something of interest on the shelves of our library.

In addition to offering these resources, the library provides a friendly and convenient environment for research, collaboration, and enjoyment. The library's knowledgeable and welcoming staff stand ready to help our guests find any materials they may be looking for. The facility is furnished and air-conditioned for the comfort of our visitors, as well as equipped with desktop computers which allow researchers to access online sources in addition to printed material.

Those interested in learning more about topics related to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Srebrenica genocide, whether for scientific scholarship or personal development, will find no better environment for their research in the region. 

The research archive of the Memorial Center is a central segment of the institution's research work, and includes ongoing work on collecting photographs, personal items and relevant documentation related to genocide. It is located below the Library (to the left of the entrance to the Memorial Center, at the very end of the Administration Building). There you can also find the setting of the Documentation Center, which was realized thanks to the cooperation with the SENSE agency, where you can watch videos that follow the chronology of the genocide in Srebrenica.

In cooperation with our curators and archivists, you can gain insight into how to document the collected materials, use our resources for research papers and journalistic stories about Srebrenica. Today, the Archive has thousands of photographs, personal items and relevant documents.

Numerous projects emerged from the work of the Archive, and the collected objects were the inspiration for numerous art exhibitions and exhibitions. Members of our team also work continuously on field research work, especially following the route of the Death March and communicating with associations of victims and family members of victims of genocide.

In the last year, we have received strong support from the European Union, which has donated 340,000 euros for the renovation of the ground floor of the administrative building of the Memorial Center. The works are nearing completion, and parts of the premises are already in use.

"The battery factory in which the Srebrenica Memorial Center is located is a harsh reminder of the past that cannot be erased. It is not just a place where the victims of genocide are honored and show solidarity with the survivors, as we do every year on July 11th. This place is also a center of knowledge for those who want to understand and learn more about the context in which crimes against humanity take place, in order to prevent them in the future, "said the Head of the European Union Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Johann Sattler.

The Government of the United Kingdom has provided funds to support the “Truth, Dialogue, Future” project, which implements activities to develop the capacity of the Memorial Center, organize planned exhibitions and complement the capacity of the Archives.

The Srebrenica Memorial Center was supported in 2020 by the cities of Sarajevo, Gračanica, Živinice, Tuzla, Bihać, Visoko and Goražde, the municipalities of Stari Grad Sarajevo, Centar Sarajevo, Kladanj, Travnik, Velika Kladuša, Banovići, Trnovo, Kakanj, Ilijaš, Zavidovići, Bosanska Krupa. , Kalesija, Konjic, Jablanica, Vogošća, Sanski Most, Bugojno, Maglaj, Sapna and Breza.

Also, through special projects, the Memorial Center was supported by the cantonal authorities of Zenica-Doboj, Central Bosnia, Bosansko Podrinje, Tuzla Canton and Sarajevo Canton. The support of the Institute for Construction of the Sarajevo Canton, which set aside 850,000 KM for the adaptation of the rest of the administrative building, stands out in particular.

In cooperation with the Museum of War Childhood, an exhibition was realized in Sweden and Bosnia and Herzegovina, supported by the Embassy of Sweden, based on the project "Childhood during the siege and genocide in Srebrenica" supported by the Government of Sarajevo Canton.

Thanks to the help of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Holocaust Museum in the Netherlands "Camp Westerbork", and the Dutch peace organization PAX, the exhibition "Genocide in Srebrenica - Failure of the International Community" and the Documentation Center established in cooperation with SENSE. The Dutch Embassy is also funding a joint project between BIRN and the Srebrenica Memorial Center "Lives Behind the Field of Death".

Last year, a joint project of the Srebrenica Memorial Center and the Center for Post-Conflict Research "Genocide in Srebrenica through Criminal Court Verdicts" was supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Sigrid Rousing Fund and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, through regular funding of the Center for Post-Conflict Research. The Center for Post-Conflict Research (PCRC), with the support of the donor network, supported the realization of the exhibition "Memento", the Youth Summer Camp Srebrenica and the installation "Što te nema?”.

The City of Sarajevo supported the realization of the exhibition "Exodus" by the academic painter Safet Zec. The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) supported the presentation of the exhibition by Sejla Kameric.

Thanks to the “Representatives for Srebrenica” initiative, regular support from MPs from various levels of government is ensured, and the public is informed about it at the end of June each year (regarding elected representatives who supported the work of the Memorial Center with personal donations).

The memorial center was also supported through various donations from companies such as BH Post, direct support from several foundations such as the Heinrich Boll Stiftung (support for the translation and drafting of the Srebrenica Genocide Denial Report), Bauern helfen Bauern Salzburg (support for the preparation of Srebrenica. Genocide). 25 years later ”), VII Foundation (realization of the exhibition of Ziyah Gafić and a group of renowned world photographers).

The work of the Memorial Center is supported by direct donations from private individuals through payments to the Memorial Center account, but also through donations by calling 090 292 011 (only for BH Telecom network users), citizens donate three convertible stamps to help in the work of the Memorial Center.

Citizens have the opportunity to be the patron of the Srebrenica Memorial Center through non-monetary support. Thus, many joined the action "Books for Srebrenica", and artists Mirza Rahmanović and Dorian Griner donated their musical performances for the needs of video projects of the Memorial Center. Dron.ba provided us with free drone footage of the cemetery and the Memorial Center. The "Fabrika" agency has prepared a new solution for the logo and visual identity of the Memorial Center free of charge, as well as a short video announcement of the 25th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

The realization of a large project of the Government of Turkey is also being prepared, which will be discussed in the coming period.