(MENAFN) On Tuesday, over 6,000 individuals began the annual Peace March from Nezuk, near Sapna, to pay tribute to the thousands of Bosniak men and boys who lost their lives during the genocide on July 11, 1995.

This commemorative journey retraces the harrowing path taken by Bosniaks three decades ago as they attempted to flee to safety in Tuzla or Kladanj.

The three-day, 100-kilometer (62-mile) trek toward Potocari is led this year by survivors of the massacre, who continue to bear witness to the horrors they endured.

The participants are expected to arrive in Potocari on July 10, just before a mass funeral held at the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center, where the remains of seven newly identified victims of the genocide will be interred.

This year marks the 21st occurrence of the Peace March, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the atrocities committed in Srebrenica, a location previously designated by the United Nations as a “safe zone.”

The march not only serves as an act of remembrance but also as a method for survivors to confront lingering trauma and fulfill their duty to share their experiences with younger generations.

One such participant, Ademir Mesic, is walking the route for the 14th time. Reflecting on the significance of the event, he emphasized the emotional toll of retracing the survivors’ journey while hearing their firsthand accounts.

“It is different to hear testimonies from survivors while walking the same route they took,” he shared. “The message is that it should never happen again.”

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