Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Philemon Yang,
on the Commemorative Event on International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica
July 8 2025, General Assembly Hall
[Pre-Recorded Video Message]
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Survivors and families of the victims,
We gather today in solemn remembrance.
Thirty years have passed since the tragedy that unfolded in Srebrenica, one of the darkest chapters in our shared history.
This was an atrocity that international courts have recognised as genocide.
As former Secretary-General Kofi Annan said: “The tragedy of Srebrenica will forever haunt the history of the United Nations.”
Such atrocities must never be allowed to happen again.
Excellencies,
Today, we honour the memory of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims who were systematically murdered.
We stand with their families, who continue to carry the weight of that loss, and with survivors whose daily life has remained a profound struggle ever since.
We also reaffirm our shared responsibility to ensure that the lessons of Srebrenica, and of other tragedies of the same kind, are never forgotten.
Excellencies,
We are humbled to welcome survivors of Srebrenica among us today.
Their presence reminds us of our obligation to listen—and to reflect on the horrors they endured.
That obligation also extends to upholding our commitments, including those under the Pact for the Future, to prevent and end genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
We must remain resolute in ensuring that all victims of such atrocities receive justice, and that all perpetrators are held to account.
Impunity cannot be tolerated.
The lessons of Srebrenica must guide our efforts to prevent such crimes, everywhere, and every time.
This includes strengthening the protection of civilians in conflict and upholding fundamental human rights.
Excellencies,
This commemoration carries renewed urgency in a world increasingly fractured by division and rising intolerance.
Education remains our strongest defence against the erosion of memory.
We must not only remember history, but learn from it, so that tragedies like Srebrenica are never repeated.
Future generations must be equipped to understand what happened, why it happened, and how it was allowed to happen.
Only then can they uphold the values of peace, tolerance, and human dignity.
Fostering inclusive dialogue and mutual respect among communities is essential to building the foundations of peaceful coexistence.
As we mark the eightieth anniversary of the United Nations, we are reminded that this Organisation was founded to save succeeding generations from the catastrophe of war.
The memory of Srebrenica must strengthen our resolve to uphold the values of the United Nations’ Charter.
To uphold human rights, the rule of law, and the dignity of everyone, everywhere.
I thank you.
Media Contacts
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