From Srebrenica to Solidarity – Memory, Responsibility and Hope
Asalaamu alaikum,
A few weeks ago, my wife and I travelled to Bosnia with a delegation of educationalists and community leaders. It was not simply a visit; it was an encounter with history, memory, and human resilience.
In Srebrenica, we came face to face with the consequences of unchecked hatred and the ugly side of politics. Meeting families of survivors, walking through memorials, and witnessing exhibitions that preserve the truth brought a sobering clarity. These were not distant events confined to textbooks—they were lived realities, in our midst, in Europe. The weight of those stories does not leave you; nor should it.
What struck me most was not only the brutality of the past, but also the determination to preserve knowledge and educate future generations. Across Bosnia, institutions dedicated to remembrance stand as a quiet but firm warning: societies that remember are societies that resist repeating their darkest chapters.
Returning to the UK, I moved straight into visits across the country. The contrast was stark, but the message was the same. On Holocaust Memorial Day, I visited the Holocaust Centre North in Huddersfield (https://holocaustcentrenorth.org.uk/) and joined the Huddersfield Interfaith Group, alongside visits to mosques and community centres. Different histories—but a shared warning about division, dehumanisation, and the silence of those who could have acted.
We are living in a time when the rise of far-right narratives is no longer abstract. It is visible across Europe and increasingly present within our own discourse. In such a climate, remembrance must translate into responsibility.
With local elections approaching, we have been encouraging communities to register and vote. Civic participation is not merely a right; it is a safeguard. Disengagement creates space for others to shape the future without us.
Despite the sobering realities and prevailing sense of doom and gloom, there is also reason for optimism.
Across the country, I have witnessed remarkable acts of service—mosque-led initiatives serving all, community organisations, including women-led initiatives, uplifting those in need, and food banks supporting families facing rising living costs driven by global instability. These efforts reflect the very best of our shared values.
This is why the Muslim Council of Britain supports initiatives such as A Million Acts of Hope—because confronting injustice must go hand in hand with amplifying good.
Srebrenica. Holocaust Memorial Day. Atrocities across the globe. These are not just moments to remember—they are warnings we ignore at our peril.
The past does not define us—what we learn from it does.
…Don’t forget the vote! Vote wisely on the 7th May.
Sincerely,
Maswood Ahmed
Deputy Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain
