The United Nations General Assembly has voted to establish July 11 as a global day of remembrance for the Srebrenica genocide, despite facing opposition from several nations.
The resolution, primarily sponsored by Germany and Rwanda, was passed at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
It designates this day as a "Day of Reflection and Remembrance" to honor over 8,000 Bosnian Muslims murdered during the Bosnian War in July 1995.
"Our initiative is about honoring the memory of the victims and supporting the survivors who continue to live with the scars of this fateful time," German UN Ambassador Antje Leendertse stated, as reported by n-tv.
The decision faced resistance, notably from Serbia, China, and Russia.
The Serbian government sharply criticized the resolution, accusing Germany of secrecy in its development. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic argued that the resolution would divide the region and create a hierarchy among the victims of the war.
The resolution also condemns any denial of the Srebrenica genocide and actions that glorify perpetrators of war crimes.
The Srebrenica genocide is regarded as one of the worst crimes in Europe since World War II. On July 11, 1995, Bosnian Serb troops murdered more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims, mostly men and boys. International courts have legally recognized the genocide, sentencing the main perpetrators, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, to life imprisonment.
The introduction of the memorial day aims to raise awareness of the Srebrenica events and help prevent such atrocities from happening again.
The memorial day will be officially celebrated for the first time in 2025.
