Jul 8, 4:15 PM
Thousands Begin 100-Kilometre Peace March to Remember Srebrenica Victims
Over 6,500 participants have set out on a three-day trek from Nezuk to Potočari, retracing the route of the 1995 survivors.
More than 6,500 individuals have set out on a three-day march across Bosnia and Herzegovina to commemorate the victims of the Srebrenica genocide. The event, which covers a distance of one hundred kilometres, retraces the path taken by survivors who walked for days to escape the massacres of 1995. Participants have gathered to walk the route, marking the twenty-second occasion this memorial event has been organised since the killings took place on the eleventh of July.
The procession begins near the village of Nezuk, located in the Tuzla Canton. From there, the crowd makes its way across the landscape over the course of three days. The participants are not just local residents; the march has drawn people from across Bosnia, Herzegovina, and various international locations. They walk together toward a highly specific destination: the village of Potočari, situated near Srebrenica. This final stop is the site of the memorial grounds and the cemetery dedicated to the victims of the genocide.
Organising a multi-day walk for thousands of people requires a structured approach to basic necessities. The route is equipped to sustain the large volume of participants over the entire three-day duration. Those making the journey are provided with essential supplies, including regular distributions of food and drinking water. Medical aid is also available to assist anyone struggling with the physical demands of the hundred-kilometre trek. When the walking stops for the day, participants are housed in designated overnight camps along the trail.
Beyond the physical logistics of moving such a large group of people, the event incorporates a distinct educational element. Participants receive history lessons along the route, ensuring that the factual details of the 1995 genocide are communicated to those walking the path. The march is designed to be a physical recreation of a desperate flight for survival. By walking the same terrain that survivors navigated decades ago, the participants keep the memory of the victims visible. The journey ends at the Potočari memorial, concluding a solemn exercise in historical remembrance.
Written by Martina Kirchner martina.kirchner@alpineweekly.com
