Report from the International Conference “Never Forget Srebrenica. 30 Years of Seeking Truth, Justice, and Remembrance”
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On 16–17 October 2025, the University of Warsaw hosted the international academic conference “Never Forget Srebrenica. 30 Years of Seeking Truth, Justice, and Remembrance”, organized by the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies and the Tadeusz Mazowiecki Chair.
The event was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide—one of the most tragic chapters in modern European history—and to the legacy of Tadeusz Mazowiecki, the first UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the former Yugoslavia.
DAY I – Memory, Testimony, Mazowiecki’s Mission
The conference was opened by Prof. Alojzy Nowak, Rector of the University of Warsaw, followed by Prof. Katarzyna Kołodziejczyk, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies.
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Robert Kupiecki, Undersecretary of State, delivered the opening address, emphasizing the importance of defending historical truth and upholding international responsibility.
The first panel, “Bearing Witness: Tadeusz Mazowiecki’s Mission as the UN Special Rapporteur in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, brought together Edina Bećirević, Konstanty Gebert, Manfred Nowak, and Roman Wieruszewski, with Agnieszka Bieńczyk-Missala serving as moderator.
The speakers reflected on Mazowiecki’s moral courage and integrity, recalling how he was the first representative of the international community to call the crimes in Bosnia by their proper name and to resign from his post in protest against the world’s inaction.
The session concluded with the presentation of the book “Tadeusz Mazowiecki. Writings and Documents. Reports from Yugoslavia 1992–1995”, introduced by Wojciech Mazowiecki and Prof. Jacek Wojnicki.
DAY II – Truth, Justice, and Reconciliation
The second day began with a keynote lecture by Prof. Manfred Nowak, “Missing Persons in the Former Yugoslavia: A Joint UN Mandate with Tadeusz Mazowiecki”. He emphasized that even three decades later, many families are still waiting for news about the fate of their loved ones.
The following panel, “Preventing Genocide: Where Are We 30 Years After Srebrenica?”, moderated by Prof. Roman Kuźniar, explored current mechanisms for genocide prevention and the role of the international community. The panel featured Prof. Patrycja Grzebyk, Florence Hartmann, Edward Joseph, and Amina Sejfić.
Next, the discussion “Healing Wounds: Navigating Reconciliation in the Aftermath of Genocide” brought together Denis Džidić, Tatjana Đorđević, Eva Klonowski, and Małgorzata Wosińska, moderated by Paulina Wankiewicz. The speakers reflected on the difficult path toward reconciliation and rebuilding communities after the trauma of war.
In the afternoon, Prof. Patrycja Grzebyk held a conversation with Florence Hartmann, former spokesperson of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, focusing on the future of international criminal law.
In cooperation with the Garden of the Righteous Foundation, the panel “Genocide and the Power of One: Individual Responses to Genocide” featured Joshua Evangelista, Konstanty Gebert, and Józef Wancer, moderated by Agnieszka Laskowska.
The conference concluded with a screening of the film “Zemlja – The Land That Remembers”, directed by Tatjana Đorđević and Joshua Evangelista, which portrayed the enduring memory and trauma of Srebrenica’s residents three decades after the tragedy.
