Remembering the targeted destruction of the Stari Most on November 9th, however, is crucial and not only for the local community. We also remember as a reminder and to raise awareness of the continued widespread destruction of cultural heritage that occurs globally as an act of war. Typically, the destruction of cultural heritage is not accidental, but part of the greater aggression against identity groups and an erasure of these groups’ physical presence on the landscape. That the violent manipulation of cultural heritage continues to occur with alarming regularity highlights the power of the built landscape and its associated meanings. It is this power that compels us to visit heritage sites on our travels, seeking the local understanding of such sites while also sensing first-hand how they can serve to unite despite the diversity which they represent.

Last night, the Old Bridge was illuminated in memorial to Srebrenica where, 25 years ago, the genocide of Bosnian Muslims was perpetrated by units of the Bosnian Serb Army of the RS during the Wars of Yugoslav Succession. To this day, victims are still being found and identified so that their family and loved ones can finally lay them to rest at the Memorial Cemetery at Potočari at the annual commemoration.

8,372 is the number of victims, mostly men and boys, of the Srebrenica Genocide. The individual and collective loss felt because of this atrocity, is so much greater than this number and the events which occurred leading up to and during July 1995. Genocide cannot be confined to the events of a few days and entails far more than the physical loss of human life. Genocide must be understood as an intentional process of destruction and erasure that, once started, continues into perpetuity. While 25 years may have elapsed since the Srebrenica Genocide, realize that it is also very much present today and every day. It is our common responsibility to recognize the heinousness of this crime and educate ourselves on genocide so we can better recognize and prevent it from occurring again. 

If you have seen one of the iconic jumps from the Old Bridge, you know that it is typically met with applause, whistles, and gasps of delight from locals and visitors alike. This morning at precisely 11:07 AM, a young member of the Mostar Diving Club jumped from the Old Bridge alongside a shower of white lilies to commemorate the events of this day – July 11 – in 1995. 

The dive this morning was met with silence. 

A moment of silence in memorial and witness to the atrocity of genocide that unfolded in Srebrenica 24 years ago where nearly 9,000 Bosniaks (mostly men and boys) were killed and the families to which they belonged were forever shattered. Today, in the village of Potočari at the Memorial Cemetery, the remains of 33 individuals who have been identified over the past year were interred in their final resting place. Still, over 1,000 victims remain missing and families wait to gain closure through the slow process of discovery and identification of bodies so that their loved ones can one day also be put to rest in the Memorial Cemetery. 

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If you are visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina and would like to learn about Srebrenica, we recommend visiting the Memorial Center at Potočari and taking a guided tour – it is easily accessible as a day trip from Sarajevo and you can go by bus, car or an organized tour group. If you are unable to visit the Memorial Center, we highly recommend the Galerija 11/7/95, centrally located in Sarajevo (next to the Cathedral). At the Galerija, be sure to opt for an audio tour in your language and take the time to sit at the computer monitors upon initial entrance to the curated exhibits. The computer program will guide you through the details of the events leading up to the genocide to give you a full understanding of how and why the genocide occurred in Srebrenica and impress upon you why we must work together to prevent such atrocities in the future. 

Never Again. 

#Remember #Srebrenica #TraditionalDive #Memorial #NeverAgain