A year ago, the United Nations took a wise and important decision when it declared 11 July the International Day of Remembrance for the Srebrenica genocide. What happened in Bosnia 30 years ago is not only part of Bosnian history, nor just a dark chapter in Dutch history, it was also the first genocide in Europe after the Second World War. The genocide in Rwanda in 1994 and the Srebrenica genocide in 1995 should have been a clear signal to the international community to invest more in preventing war, countering hate speech, and tackling the processes of dehumanisation.
Today we remember the terrible loss of life of boys, men, and also a number of women from Srebrenica. And yet, 30 years on, it feels as if the world is no better. We are witnessing the killings in Gaza and the West Bank, and the trenches in eastern and southern Ukraine evoke the horrors of the First World War.
The impact of war is often underestimated. The letters written and collected for this project, Dragi Moji – My Dearest, bear witness to the burden that survivors and relatives carry with them. Many young people have also written letters – heartfelt messages to people they do not remember or have never met. Yet their grief and pain, as well as their love, are profoundly real.
That politicians in this country and neighbouring states deny that what happened in Srebrenica was indeed genocide only deepens the grief and pain. If this country, and indeed the whole region, fails to overcome the divisive force of ethnic nationalism, new problems may once again arise here.
Thirty years ago, we in the Netherlands did not protect the people trapped in Srebrenica. My organisation, the Dutch peace organisation PAX, is ashamed of the lack of action by the Dutch military leadership and the Dutch government. They should, and could, have done more. Since 1995, we have supported the campaigns for truth and justice led by the survivors of Srebrenica. We have backed numerous projects to strengthen active citizenship and democracy. We have called on the Dutch government – and today we call again – to speak out more clearly in its criticism of the nationalist rhetoric of Bosnian Serb leaders and of the hate speech from all political and religious leaders.
Today and tomorrow we remember the victims of the Srebrenica genocide. But the events of Srebrenica, and the lessons we can draw from that genocide, deserve our attention every single day of the year. Let us work together to safeguard and strengthen peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to build democracy and prosperity in your country.
Dragi Moji – My Dearest
Since 1 June 2025, we have been publishing one letter each day on our website, up to and including 11 July 2025 – the day marking 30 years since the genocide took place. The letters are written by people connected to Srebrenica: survivors, bereaved relatives, Bosnians who fled the war, and young people with Bosnian roots.
Letters read aloud
Some of these relatives have read their letters aloud in short films. They speak to loved ones who were murdered or who are still missing. In words filled with love, grief and loss, they give voice to the unspeakable (in Dutch).
