Ards and North Down Borough Council convened a solemn Srebrenica Memorial Day event at The Courthouse, Bangor, bringing residents together to remember the victims of the July 1995 massacre and to consider the local implications of intolerance and division.
Remembering Srebrenica in a local setting
The gathering marked the 31st anniversary of the atrocity in Srebrenica and featured a screening of the film Quo Vadis, Aida? The programme was rounded off by the testimony of Bosnian war survivor Safet Vukalic, who recounted the personal and communal consequences of the conflict.
The event underlined the scale of the tragedy: 8,372 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed in July 1995, while casualties from the wider Bosnian war exceed 100,000. Those figures were cited during the evening as a reminder of the human cost when prejudice and dehumanisation go unchecked.
“It was a privilege to welcome everyone for this important act of remembrance. The events of July 1995 remain a stark reminder of the consequences of prejudice, dehumanisation and division when they are left unchallenged,” said Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Craig Blaney.
Local lessons and community responsibility
Speakers at the event drew explicit parallels between lessons from Bosnia and contemporary challenges here in Northern Ireland, noting that violence rooted in religious, political or identity differences has left deep wounds locally as well as abroad. The mayor and council officers emphasised that remembrance should translate into practical commitments to promote respect, understanding and inclusion.
Organisers thanked the charity Remembering Srebrenica, council staff and the many residents who attended to show solidarity and to reinforce a global message of reconciliation. The testimony of Mr Vukalic was described as particularly powerful in illustrating why education and public memory remain essential tools in preventing future atrocities.
- Event: Srebrenica Memorial Day screening and testimony
- Location: The Courthouse, Bangor
- Key participants: Mayor Councillor Craig Blaney; survivor Safet Vukalic; Remembering Srebrenica
Numbers that matter
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Anniversary marked | 31st |
| Victims in Srebrenica (July 1995) | 8,372 |
| Estimated deaths in wider Bosnian war | 100,000+ |
For many in Ards and North Down, the evening served both as a moment of remembrance and a prompt to consider how communities here can guard against the kinds of hatred and division that fuelled such violence. The council indicated the memorial forms part of a wider programme of remembrance and education across Northern Ireland.
Attendance by local residents and civic representatives demonstrated continued public interest in international remembrance and in connecting those lessons to local efforts to promote reconciliation and inclusion.
