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Statement on Srebrenica Memorial Day 2020
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, in which over 8,000 Muslim men and boys were murdered in the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War, simply because of their religious identity. As an organisation, the Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) believes that we must ensure that we never forget about the genocide and reaffirm our commitment to standing up against all forms of hatred and prejudice that targets groups based on their religion, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or any type of difference.
The theme “Every Action Matters” seeks to encourage every person to reflect upon their own behaviour and choices that they make, and demonstrate that however insignificant it may seem, every action matters, whether positive or negative. It aims to show that those who stand up and unite against hatred can make a difference. It sets out to dispel the notion that one person cannot make a difference and show that the action of one individual does matter and that they can achieve a great deal, however small their action may appear initially.
It is now more important than ever for us to come together as people in the UK, no matter what our background, to celebrate diversity and to stand together in solidarity against hatred and discrimination. We hope you will join us in mourning the loss of those who died at Srebrenica and reflecting on how we as individuals, groups and communities can come together to build a better future without hatred.
It’s so important that we portray a positive message through our actions, and combat hate and spread a message of peace, whilst reflecting and learning from the mistakes of the past.
A fantastic way of getting involved in spreading awareness of Srebrenica is the Remembering Srebrenica Challenge! There are 11 actions we can all undertake in order to becoming ambassadors for Srebrenica and making a positive change, such as:
• Talking to someone new about Srebrenica
• Wearing the Srebrenica flower
• Holding one minute’s silence
• Watching this year’s video
• Posting about Srebrenica on social media
• Reading a survivor’s letter or testimony
• Planting a flower or tree
• Making a pledge
• Lighting a candle, saying a prayer, or reading a poem
• Donating or fundraising for Remembering Srebrenica
• Taking part in a peace walk or self-reflection walk
Many of these are so simple yet can have such a powerful impact in spreading awareness - we can challenge friends and family and do it altogether inshaAllah! Every action matters, and may Allah put barakah in our efforts.
Mariyah Aseri, ISB Campus Remembering Srebrenica Team
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