The Srebrenica Flag will be flying over County Hall on Thursday 11 July in memory of all those who died or suffered in the Srebrenica area in Eastern Bosnia.
This year marks the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, in which over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were murdered in the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War, because of their identity.
The lessons from Srebrenica are that hatred and intolerance can flourish if left unchallenged and underlines the importance of why we must never forget about the tragic events that took place, and remain resolute in our commitment to tackling hatred, intolerance, prejudice, and discrimination in all forms.
The theme for 2024 is ‘I am Because You Are’. The inspiration comes from the philosophy of ‘Ubuntu’, a South African term which is often translated as “I am because you are”. The anti—apartheid and human rights activist, Archbishop Desmond Tutu summarised it in the following way: “Ubuntu speaks about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness … We are all connected. What unites us is our common humanity… We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas what you do, what I do, affects the whole world. Taking that a step further, when you do good, it spreads that goodness; it is for the whole of humanity.”
The theme for this year will underline the importance of standing up against those who try to divide us and standing up for each other against hatred, discrimination, harassment, or prejudice. It will also help empower everyone in our communities to understand the importance of interconnectedness to help build a safer, stronger, and more cohesive society for all.
Cllr Stella Jones, Chair of Dorset Council, said: “Dorset is seen as a rural idyll but within that idyll are those of other races and cultures whose lives are not of the easiest and who still live on the fringes of our society. Dorset Council and our residents must continue to work to ensure our diverse society is an inclusive and happy one.”
KEEP US ALIVE and join us in helping to bring reality and decency back by SUBSCRIBING to our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ1Ll1ylCg8U19AhNl-NoTg AND SUPPORTING US where you can: Award Winning Independent Citizen Media Needs Your Help. PLEASE SUPPORT US FOR JUST £2 A MONTH https://dorseteye.com/donate/
