Washington/Srebrenica, July 13, 2025: The U.S. state of Maryland has officially declared July 11 as Srebrenica Genocide Remembrance Day. The proclamation, signed by Governor Wes Moore, unequivocally condemns efforts to glorify individuals convicted of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, including those convicted for the genocide committed in Srebrenica.
On behalf of the Maryland-Bosnia and Herzegovina Exchange Council, Emir Nurkić Kačapor today presented the original proclamation to Fazila Efendić, president of the Mothers of Srebrenica Association, during the 20th International Youth Work Camp in Potočari. The ceremony was attended by 78 young volunteers from across Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Italy, Germany, France, and Turkey.
Earlier this year, Governor Moore also proclaimed March 1st as Bosnian-American Community Day, further reaffirming the decades-long strong and enduring partnership between Maryland and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Recalling the fact that more than 8,000 innocent Bosniak Muslim men and boys were killed in the Srebrenica region of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995, the proclamation emphasizes the ongoing importance of locating and identifying the remaining victims of the genocide and ensuring they receive dignified burials.
“The people of Maryland have been greatly enriched by the presence of Americans of Bosnian heritage, and we value our shared commitment to democracy, human rights, and self-determination,” the proclamation states. “We join the Bosnian diaspora in remembering those lost in Srebrenica, and we stand with the survivors of the genocide and their loved ones as we work together for a better future.”
