As part of the commemoration of the twenty-sixth anniversary of the genocide in and around Srebrenica, the University of Sarajevo, the Institute for Research of Crimes against Humanity and International Law of the University of Sarajevo, the Institute of History of the University of Sarajevo and the University of Tuzla published the proceedings of the international scientific conference entitled "Genocide against Bosniaks, Srebrenica 1995‒2020: Causes, scale and consequences", held on October 19, 2020 in Sarajevo.
The first promotion of the collection was held on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in the ceremonial hall of the University of Sarajevo, and promotions are planned in Tuzla and Potočari.
Introductory and welcoming speeches at the promotion were given by prof. Ph.D. Rifat Škrijelj, rector of the University of Sarajevo, prof. Ph.D. Melika Husić-Mehmedović, Minister of Science, Higher Education and Youth of Sarajevo Canton, and academician prof. Ph.D. Mirko Pejanović, vice president of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"By promoting the collection of works in Sarajevo, Tuzla and Potočari, our work will not end, it is actually just beginning, by taking up the challenge of bringing the content of this collection in various forms and formats as close as possible to the academic community, our students, and then to the wider public", Rector Škrijelj stressed, and pointed out that the University of Sarajevo with its partners will be part of every social effort aimed at expanding and strengthening the civil front that will respond, at the domestic and international level, to all attempts at revisionism and denial genocide.
Minister Husić-Mehmedović - emphasizing that she perceives the collection of papers as a significant contribution of the University of Sarajevo and its institutes for crime research and history as well as the University of Tuzla to the scientific foundation of the truth about Srebrenica - underlined the following: "I want to use this opportunity to convince you that the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Youth recognized the academic effort and sincere commitment that was invested in the process that led to the promotion of the collection of papers, and is ready to give its support to further efforts to defend the truth about the genocide against Bosniaks and put it in the function of a wider , a global effort aimed at building a strong awareness of the unacceptability and condemnation of genocide and war crimes."
Academician Pejanović stated that the collection represents an extremely important contribution to the scientific understanding of the intentions, causes, goals, scale and consequences of the committed genocide as well as other crimes against values protected by international law.
"The collection contains 39 papers in which new research and findings are presented, which elaborate the results of research on the events in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period 1992‒1995 from an interdisciplinary, i.e. socio-political, historical, sociological, psychological and demographic aspect. Papers that thematize socio-political consequences after 1995 are also of special value," pointed out Academician Pejanović, and added that due to the volume of scientific papers, the anthology was divided into two equally valuable and significant volumes, and that the conception of the content structure was systematized into six thematic the whole.
The collection of papers begins with the Foreword by Prof. Ph.D. Rifat Škrijelj, Rector of the University of Sarajevo, and ends with the Conclusions from the conference, signed on behalf of the Scientific Committee by academician prof. Ph.D. Mirko Pejanović. The collection was edited by dr. sc. Muamer Džananović, Ph.D. sc. Zilha Mastalić-Košuta and others. sc. Merisa Karović-Babić - research associate of the Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law, University of Sarajevo.
The promoters spoke about the collection: academician prof. Ph.D. Miloš Trifković, member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of BiH, prof. Ph.D. Zijad Šehić, full professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo, and Dr. sc. Muamer Džananović, research associate of the Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law, University of Sarajevo.
Academician Trifković reminded that the conference on the genocide of Bosniaks in Srebrenica was organized on October 19, 2020, to mark the 25th anniversary of this event, and emphasized that, although the proceedings appeared only six months after the end of the conference, its appearance belongs to a new historical phase. "It is marked by: the passing of a final conviction with a sentence of life imprisonment to the most responsible person in the military hierarchy for the genocide - former general Ratko Mladić, the adoption of a declaration in the Parliament of Montenegro on the prohibition of denying the genocide in Srebrenica and a series of political events on the international scene that make it difficult to persist in the position of denial and relativization of genocide. Those processes objectively raise the value and importance of the collection of papers that we are promoting today", explained Academician Trifković. Also, he believes that with this two-volume collection of papers, the conference fulfilled the promises made through the initial summaries of the articles. This is evidenced by 39 contributions classified into six thematic areas, 74 engaged authors and the content of over 1,000 pages of their text. Through the published articles, almost all the key questions were examined for the most complete determination of the truth about the genocide against the Bosniaks in Srebrenica, but also for the theoretical understanding of the social mechanisms of genocide in general", said Academician Trifković, and suggested publishing the articles in English as well.
About three thematic units: revisionism and denial of genocide, socio-political consequences of genocide and methodological discussions and reviews and presentations, which are presented in volume II of the collection of works, spoke prof. Ph.D. Zijad Sehic.
dr. sc. Muamer Džananović, research associate of the Institute for Research of Crimes Against Humanity and International Law of the University of Sarajevo, pointed out that this collection sends several important messages. "One of them is contrary to the views of those who emphasize the importance of complete or partial forgetting and mentioning the period 1992-1995 as little as possible. stressing that this is a prerequisite for reconciliation, prosperity, development and a better future for Bosnia and Herzegovina and its society," Dr. Džananović, and recalls the opinion of the Norwegian academic Arne Johan Vetlesen that we cannot overcome evil on the world stage by forgetting.
The moderator of the promotion was prof. Ph.D. Rasim Muratović, Director of the Institute for Research on Crimes Against Humanity and International Law at the University of Sarajevo.
During the promotion of the collection of papers, the rector, prof. Ph.D. Rifat Škrijelj presented the Certificate of Appreciation of the University of Sarajevo to Mr. Marija Nenadić, Prime Minister of the Sarajevo Canton Government in the period from 2020 to 2021, for his contribution to the work and development of the University of Sarajevo, as well as financial support and contribution to the organization and holding of the international scientific conference entitled "Genocide over Bosniaks, Srebrenica 1995‒2020: Causes, proportions and consequences", held on October 19, 2020 in Sarajevo.
On the occasion of the promotion of the collection of works, the reisul-ulema Husein ef sent a telegram to the organizer of the promotion. Kavazovic. In the telegram, along with congratulations, it is stated, among other things: "Every gathering where we talk about what happened in Srebrenica in July 1995 should be directed towards one goal: that the citizens and peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region bravely facing that bitter truth. Facing the truth about the genocide committed in the Srebrenica zone is a prerequisite for our readiness to build a common life in a common homeland - Bosnia and Herzegovina, which should bring us all, as citizens and as nations, into the European family of free individuals and nations. It is encouraging to know that the aforementioned conference recognized the fact that Srebrenica is, in fact, a European issue and not only a Bosnian one. The conversations of our intellectual elites about what happened in Srebrenica, as well as what should be the perspective of the development of the zone where the genocide took place, restore confidence to everyone who needs to rebuild and continue life in that area."
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