SREBRENICA – Head of the RYCO Local Branch Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina Ms Berina Bukva Alibašić and Local Program Officer Mr Ali Mahmutćehajić, alongside representatives from Humanity in Action and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Serbia (YIHR) attended the panel session “Youth Activism & Dealing with the Past” as part of the Srebrenica Youth School 2021 organized by the Post Conflict Research Centre (PCRC).
Srebrenica Youth School is a week-long educational event organized at the Srebrenica Memorial Center for youth activists, artists, and students from the Western Balkan Contracting Parties and the world. By engaging youth in a series of master classes, keynote speeches, and workshops, the school aims to contribute to learning and critical thinking around the subjects of dealing with the past, transitional justice, and prevention of genocide and mass atrocities.
Organized by the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) and Srebrenica Memorial Center, the Srebrenica Youth School is an annual youth event to commemorate the Srebrenica Genocide, educate about its consequences and provide youth with tools and skills to make the promise of Never Again a reality. The school’s agenda is delivered by world-class practitioners, artists, and academics from the fields of transitional justice, historical memory, art, genocide prevention, and human rights.
“RYCO will always support events such as the Srebrenica Youth School, because it shares similar values and objectives as those of RYCO’s work and provides the opportunity for young people, across the Western Balkans region, to learn about the Srebrenica genocide, as well as topics such as dealing with the past, reconciliation and intercultural dialogue,” underlined Ms Bukva Alibašić.
She also pointed out that the event organized has opened possibilities for future cooperation between the RYCO Local Branch Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Post Conflict Research Center.
Mr Mahmutćehajić stressed out the importance of dealing with the past in the region and how awareness about this, and similar topics, can have life-changing experiences for young people, especially in smaller communities. Additionally, he pointed out that it is more difficult for young people in smaller communities to raise awareness about the mentioned topics, but it is of great importance and significance for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans region as a whole.
Remembering Srebrenica reminds us of the importance of lessons learnt from the past, its impact on previous, current and future generations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans region. For us to take steps forward it is necessary to deal with the past, but not be trapped by the possible barriers it can impose. RYCO remembers Srebrenica and honors the victims and their families.
Photo: Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC)