Declare July 11 as the official International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Srebrenica Genocide around the world.
The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada expressing the will of many organizations, communities and individuals in the world, especially in Canada, sent a letter to the Ambassador of Canada to the United Nations, Bob Rae, requesting that the Government of Canada support the proposal that the General Assembly of the United Nations recognize July 11 as the official International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Srebrenica Genocide around the world.
The letter was also sent to Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly.
The Honourable Bob Rae
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York
466 Lexington Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, New York, U.S.A., 10017
Fax: 212-848-1195
Telephone: 212-848-1100
Cc: melanie.joly@parl.gc.ca
Dear Honourable Ambassador, I am writing to you on behalf of the Institute for Genocide Research Canada and the Bosnian community in Canada and diaspora worldwide to kindly request the Government of Canada to support the proposal for the General Assembly of the United Nations to recognize 11 July as an official International Day of
Remembrance of the victims of the Srebrenica Genocide worldwide. The Srebrenica Genocide, which took place in July 1995 during the Bosnian War, stands as one of the darkest chapters in recent history. It resulted in the massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces despite the town being declared a “safe area” by the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR). The brutality and scale of the atrocities committed in the Srebrenica genocide – legally
established by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Court of
Justice, and domestic courts – shocked the world and underscored the urgent need for international
intervention to prevent future crimes against humanity. Recognizing 11 July as an International Day of Remembrance would serve as a solemn reminder of the need to prevent genocide and other mass atrocities, honour the victims and survivors of Srebrenica, and reaffirm our collective commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law. It would also provide an opportunity for educational initiatives, commemorative events, and initiatives to promote reconciliation and tolerance. Nationally, Canada has already made the right steps. With Motions M-416 and Motion M-587,
passed in the House of Commons in 2010 and 2015, respectively, Canada recognized July 11 annually as Canada has long been a champion of human rights and international justice. As a member of the United Nations, Canada has a responsibility to support initiatives that seek to prevent genocide and honour the memory of its victims. By endorsing the proposal for an International Day of Remembrance of the victims of the Srebrenica Genocide, Canada will join the international community in honouring the memory of the victims of the Srebrenica Genocide and reaffirming our shared commitment to preventing such atrocities from ever happening again. Canada will also demonstrate its commitment to remembering the past,
promoting reconciliation, and building a more peaceful and inclusive world for future generations. We, therefore, call upon the Government of Canada to actively support this proposal and advocate for its
adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We trust that Canada will continue to lead in advancing
human rights and justice on the global stage.
Sincerely,
Dr. Emir Ramic
Director
The Institute for Research of Genocide Canada
