BAACBH MARKS 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF SREBRENICA GENOCIDE ON CAPITOL HILL IN WASHINGTON, DC
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On July 13, 2010, the Bosniak-American Advisory Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BAACBH) in Washington DC, together with the Co-Chairs of the U.S. Congressional Caucus on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Rep. Christopher Smith and Rep. Russ Carnahan commemorated the 15th Anniversary of Srebrenica Genocide on Capitol Hill.
The commemoration took place in 2255 Rayburn Office Building, were Congressmen Christopher Smith and Brian Baird, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Roy Gutman, International Commission on Mission Persons (ICMP) Commissioner and Chairman James V. Kimsey, Holocaust Survivor Mrs. Margit Meissner, and Amb. Damir Dzanko addressed an audience of distinguished guests, U.S Department of State officials, Congressional staff members, local NGO representatives, the media and friends of BiH.
Ms. Elmina Kulasic, BAACBH Executive Director, delivered the opening remarks and was followed by a short speech about BiH's recent history by Amb. Damir Dzanko, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Bosnia in Washington, D.C. The keynote speech was delivered by the Honorable Representative Christopher Smith who reminded the audience that "our duty to honor the victims of Srebrenica is a continuing one," that the perpetrators must be brought to justice and that the Srebrenica Genocide cannot be denied or negated. The Honorable Representative Brian Baird shared his personal story about a Bosnian boy who was wounded by a Serbian mortar in Sarajevo and for whom he provided accommodation while he was in the U.S. for treatment. Rep. Baird extended his deepest condolences to the surviving family members and the people of BiH.
Mr. James V. Kimsey, Commissioner and Chairman of International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), expressed his condolences and emphasized the importance of finding the missing persons and identifying them in order to start the process of reconciliation. Mr. Roy Gutman, Foreign Editor at McClatchy Newspapers and author of "A Witness to Genocide," reflected on his days in BiH during the war and reminded us of the role the international community had in BiH and Srebrenica. Mr. Gutman also emphasized the necessity of a constitutional reform which will enable BiH to integrate into the European Union as a functional state able to meet its domestic and international obligations. Mrs. Bridget Conley-Zilkic, Director of Research and Projects at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Committee on Conscience, provided a brief introduction about Mrs. Margit Meissner, Holocaust Survivor and a Volunteer at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, who shared her survival story and stressed the importance of advocacy and genocide prevention efforts.
In honor of the fallen victims, the speakers at the 15th Srebrenica Genocide Commemoration have expressed their deepest condolences, commitment to remember the Srebrenica genocide and to advocate for a stable and prosperous BiH. At the same time, we have asked the attendees to urge their Representatives to co-sponsor House Resolution 1423, which commemorates the 15th anniversary of the genocide committed in the Bosnian city of Srebrenica in July 1995 and expresses support of the U.S. Congress for the designation of a Srebrenica Remembrance Day in the United States.
Ms. Elmina Kulasic, BAACBH Executive Director, delivered the opening remarks and was followed by a short speech about BiH's recent history by Amb. Damir Dzanko, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Republic of Bosnia in Washington, D.C. The keynote speech was delivered by the Honorable Representative Christopher Smith who reminded the audience that "our duty to honor the victims of Srebrenica is a continuing one," that the perpetrators must be brought to justice and that the Srebrenica Genocide cannot be denied or negated. The Honorable Representative Brian Baird shared his personal story about a Bosnian boy who was wounded by a Serbian mortar in Sarajevo and for whom he provided accommodation while he was in the U.S. for treatment. Rep. Baird extended his deepest condolences to the surviving family members and the people of BiH.
Mr. James V. Kimsey, Commissioner and Chairman of International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), expressed his condolences and emphasized the importance of finding the missing persons and identifying them in order to start the process of reconciliation. Mr. Roy Gutman, Foreign Editor at McClatchy Newspapers and author of "A Witness to Genocide," reflected on his days in BiH during the war and reminded us of the role the international community had in BiH and Srebrenica. Mr. Gutman also emphasized the necessity of a constitutional reform which will enable BiH to integrate into the European Union as a functional state able to meet its domestic and international obligations. Mrs. Bridget Conley-Zilkic, Director of Research and Projects at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Committee on Conscience, provided a brief introduction about Mrs. Margit Meissner, Holocaust Survivor and a Volunteer at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, who shared her survival story and stressed the importance of advocacy and genocide prevention efforts.
In honor of the fallen victims, the speakers at the 15th Srebrenica Genocide Commemoration have expressed their deepest condolences, commitment to remember the Srebrenica genocide and to advocate for a stable and prosperous BiH. At the same time, we have asked the attendees to urge their Representatives to co-sponsor House Resolution 1423, which commemorates the 15th anniversary of the genocide committed in the Bosnian city of Srebrenica in July 1995 and expresses support of the U.S. Congress for the designation of a Srebrenica Remembrance Day in the United States.
posted by Srebrenica Genocide at 11:06 PM
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