• THIS week, Islington joins those across the country in remembering the genocide in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica 23 years ago. More than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in one of the most horrific incidents in European history.

As someone who worked in the Balkans during the early 2000s, I have a particular personal connection to the area. The awful events that took place at Srebrenica, and throughout the war in that region, have had a lasting impact on me, personally and professionally.

Each year we mark Holocaust Memorial Day. As part of these events we mark other genocides and tragedies, including Srebrenica. Moving and powerful, these are multi-faith events.

We invite school pupils to attend to learn about the past, in the hope it will never be repeated. In 2015, we were honoured to hear from a Bosnian refugee about the genocide in Srebrenica.

Islington is a wonderful and diverse borough. The council works hard with the community and partner organisations to make it clear that all forms of hate crime, discrimination and racism are not tolerated.

People and organisations can show support for reducing hate crime by signing the Islington Hate Crime Pledge.

This year, to mark the 23rd anniversary of Srebrenica, the council is encouraging local people to think about those who lost their lives and what we must all do to ensure that neither they, nor the lessons of that tragedy, are ever forgotten.

For more information on Srebrenica Memorial Week, please go to Remembering Srebrenica.

CLLR RICHARD WATTS
Leader, Islington Council