A black memorial flag has been raised by South Kesteven District Council as part of Srebrenica Memorial Week.
Elected members and council staff gathered on St Peter’s Hill on Monday (4 July) for a ceremony remembering the July 1995 genocidal Bosnian War killing by the Bosnian Serb Army of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys in and around Srebrenica.
The memorial week theme for 2022 is ‘Combatting Denial: Confronting Hatred’.
Cllr Helen Crawford, SKDC Chairman, said: “Despite the unequivocal fact that genocide was committed in Europe, denial remains prevalent in respect of the Srebrenica genocide as well as the crimes against humanity committed across Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 to 1995.
“Denial is a rallying call that continues the division and hatred and glorifies the murderers. It also creates more pain and suffering for the survivors.
“Even in the UK, there are communities who are only too aware of the damaging impact that denial can have for individuals and community cohesion.
“It is important that as a Council, we remember these atrocities. Remembering plays a significant role in our efforts to help strengthen and bring communities together. It is also very pertinent to the events and atrocities happening in Ukraine.”
Father Stuart Cradduck shared a prayer of remembrance and there was a minute’s silence.
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