A Panel Discussion Was Held on the Occasion of the 27th Anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide

The panel discussion “The Facts about the Srebrenica Genocide on its 27^th Anniversary: A Test for the Civilized World” was held at Gazi University with the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) on the occasion of the anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide.

A message from Mustafa Şentop, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, was read at the opening ceremony of the panel discussion, which was held by TİKA, Balkan Immigrants Economic Research and Social Assistance Foundation (BISAV), and Alija Izetbegović Foundation.

Dr. Mahmut Çevik, Vice President of TİKA, noted that even though TİKA officially launched its operations in Sarajevo in 1995, it had carried out unofficial activities in the city before 1995. Çevik stated that they have implemented nearly a thousand projects in 27 years to ensure lasting peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He said, “In this process, we have implemented nearly 1000 projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including 350 education projects, 60 health projects, 80 production and economy projects, and 90 restoration projects.”

Dr. Yüksel Özkale, Chairman of BISAV, said, “The whole world witnessed the events in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but unfortunately, only the events in Srebrenica were reviewed in the International Court of Justice in The Hague. However, all the events between 1992 and 1995 were massacres, acts of genocide, and certainly crimes against humanity.”

Prof. Musa Yıldız, Rector of Gazi University, stated that the history would not forgive the world’s leading states and the United Nations (UN) for being bystanders to the Srebrenica Genocide, which was witnessed by the whole world.

Deputy Minister of Human Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina thanked Türkiye

Dževad Mahmutović, Deputy Minister of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina, thanked Prof. Musa Yıldız, Rector of Gazi University, for hosting the panel discussion. Mahmutović also expressed his gratitude to the people and government of Türkiye, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and TİKA for their activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He said, “There is a memorial center in Srebrenica. If you have been there three years ago, you will not be able to recognize the center now. TİKA contributed greatly to the memorial center and made great efforts to renovate it.”

Zeynep Yıldız, the AKP’s MP for Ankara; Saffet Sancaklı, the MHP’s MP for Kocaeli; and Adis Alagic, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Ambassador to Ankara, also delivered speeches at the opening ceremony of the panel discussion.