The permanent exhibition provides documentary scenes of what was left of Srebrenica in the wake of this genocide. With photographs and videos of the “wall of death”, family portraits, scenes of survivors lives, the scattered and gathered remains of the victims, and offensive graffiti, the gallery portrays the impossible justice and the abolition of time split between Anne Frank and the women of Srebrenica.

Visitors of the Gallery 11/07/95 are not just passive observers of the exhibit – they are living witnesses to the horror and injustice.

Through a wide range of multimedia content – images, maps, audio and video materials, the Gallery aims to offer its visitors the documentary and artistic interpretation of the events that took place during July 1995."

I thought I should leave you with a few photos from this gallery, now these photos are not mine, they belong to Tarik Samarah (the photographer) and I just got them off the internet, but I thought as so many people will have the chance to go to beautiful Sarajevo, it might be in your interests to see a few photos here. 

I'm not sorry for the distressing content, it has to be seen. And although it may seem out of place on my blog, it is something so close to my heart that I had no choice but to share it. Especially today, the 11th July, marking 20 years exactly since the genocide.

Remember to keep the victims and their families in your thoughts today, as they are in mine everyday.

xxx

In 1993, Srebrenica had been declared a UN Safe Area, under the watch of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR). In July 1995, Bosnian Serb paramilitary units overran and captured the town, despite its designation as an area 'free from any armed attack or any other hostile act.'

In the days following Srebrenica's fall, 8,372 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were systematically massacred and buried in mass graves. It was the greatest atrocity on European soil since the Second World War."

xxx

In July 1995, in the midst of war in the former Yugoslavia, around 8,000 Muslim men and teenaged boys were massacred at Srebrenica. Now Myriam, a British Muslim, is visiting the site with a group of young people - all of whom were born in the year of the genocide. In an often emotional trip they learn first-hand how easily prejudice can take hold and why this story has important lessons for us all in multicultural Britain today.

The diverse group of young people include Julie, the daughter of Colonel Bob Stewart, who was United Nations Commander of the British forces in Bosnia in the early 90s; and medical student Abdul, who is astonished that he didn’t hear about the story in school. He wonders why, as he feels that “when Muslim people die you don’t learn about it as much.”

The group are all ‘delegates’ for a British charity called Remembering Srebrenica. It is the organiser of UK events for Srebrenica Memorial Day on the 11 July. The UK is the only EU country to officially designate such a day of remembrance.

On this trip, Myriam observes the British students discovering what the story of Srebrenica means for us in Britain today and why it’s so important to remember."