ALUMNI OF HARVARD AND STANFORD VISIT MEMORIAL SITE, EXPRESS RESPECT FOR VICTIMS

DONJA GRADINA, APRIL 24 /SRNA/ – A group of alumni from the prestigious American universities Harvard and Stanford visited the Donja Gradina Memorial Site today, one of the largest World War II execution sites in the Balkans, where they learned about the atrocities committed there and paid respect to the victims.

Marko Romić, аdvisor to the President of Republika Srpska, presented to the guests the historical significance of the site, as well as the suffering that took place as part of the crimes committed within the Jasenovac camp system. Romić explained to the visitors that Republika Srpska was created as an expression of the need of the Serb people to organize and constitute themselves politically in these areas in order to protect themselves and future generations, so that tragedies such as those witnessed in Donja Gradina would never be repeated. He emphasized that remembrance of the victims is a foundation of the identity of Republika Srpska and a kind of pledge that the Serb people in these areas will never again experience the fate they suffered in Jasenovac and Donja Gradina. The alumni highlighted the importance of preserving historical memory and confronting difficult chapters of European history. It was noted that the visit contributed to a better understanding of the complex past of the region, as well as the need to preserve and pass on the truth about the suffering of Serb, Jewish and Roma populations to future generations. Romić thanked the guests for their interest and visit, stressing the importance of international attention to Donja Gradina as a site of universal significance.