A motion to proclaim July 11th as Srebrenica Remembrance Day in the City of Toronto

A motion to proclaim July 11th as Srebrenica Remembrance Day in the City of Toronto

 

Moved by: Councillor 

Seconded by: Councillor 

 

City of Toronto proclamations are official statements made by, or under the authority of Members of Toronto Council to recognize causes, events and commemorations of significance to the City of Toronto and its citizens;

 

AND WHEREAS, proclamation statements contribute to the fabric of Toronto’s society by recognizing cultural diversity and the public good;

 

AND WHEREAS, in 1995, more than 8,000 Bosniak civilians were killed in Srebrenica by the army, paramilitaries, and police forces of Republika Srpska, and approximately 30,000 women, children, and elderly persons were forcibly expelled. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled the massacre an act of genocide, and it is featured in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights;

 

AND WHEREAS, in 2010, the Canadian House of Commons unanimously passed Motion M-416, which recognized the Genocide and established July 11th as Srebrenica Genocide Remembrance Day in Canada;

 

AND WHEREAS, in 2024, Canada joined the list of sponsors of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution designating 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica;

 

AND WHEREAS, July 11th 2026 marked the 31th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide of July 1995 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and this year’s anniversary serves as an opportunity to remember and honour those who lost their lives to a brutal campaign of terror, force and ethnic cleansing;

 

AND WHEREAS, by issuing this proclamation, the City of Toronto reaffirms its commitment to recognizing and challenging racism, discrimination and hate in all forms, and supporting cultural heritage, diversity, and civic engagement among all communities;

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

1. The City of Toronto hereby proclaims July 11th as Srebrenica Remembrance Day annually, as a commemoration of the victims and all of those impacted by these tragic events.