Zenica 11. mart 2013.
The high school students of the Gymnasium asked for more. Outreach representative Almir Alić travelled to this central Bosnian town in early February to give a presentation on the work of the ICTY. But the students felt they had only seen the tip of the iceberg and demanded a follow-up session. Happy to oblige, Almir visited the school again today and gave a further presentation on crimes of wartime sexual violence. This was followed by a practical exercise during which the students were encouraged to try and apply what they had learned about the principles of international criminal and humanitarian law to conflicts from the past.
One 18-year-old pupil praised the event, saying: “It was excellent, and it serves a higher purpose – it speaks about the importance of not forgetting and the way in which war trauma can be overcome.”
Another student said: “Presentations such as this one should find their way into every elementary and high school in our country, so that young people understand that they should think about the consequences of their own actions. Those who commit evil acts must understand that they will be punished accordingly, and those who hide and don’t want to talk about the past are equally responsible.”