A Blackburn Law firm which backed a Srebrenica Memorial event were inspired to do so after one their staff members visited and spoke to families of the massacre.

Curtis Law Solicitors were one of the lead sponsors for the Srebrenica Memorial event held at Blackburn Cathedral earlier this month.

It aimed to remember the victims of July 11, 1995 that shocked the world and made political history.

Throughout the years 1992-1995, the Balkans conflict dominated Bosnia, destroying over 200 villages and enforcing a strict and brutal regime of violent attacks upon their Muslim residents.

In one incident, 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed – the biggest mass murder on European soil since the Second World War.

Earlier this year, Noordad Aziz a councillor and head of finance at Curtis Law Solicitors, visited Bosnia and paid witness to the still devastating effects of the Srebrenica genocide that happened nearly two decades ago.

During his visit Noordad was introduced to political figures, peacemakers, mothers of victims and survivors who had escaped the death march across Bosnia.

This trip fuelled Noordad with a passion to raise awareness and recognition of this modern tragedy in Britain.

Following Noordad’s trip, Curtis Law Solicitors worked in partnership with Hyndburn Borough Council on organising an event to demonstrate the official ‘Remembering Srebrenica’ historic memorial programme, taking place right in the heart of Blackburn at the cathedral on the eve of the genocides memorial.

He said: “Edmund Burke said 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’.

“That was one of the first quotes that I came across on my trip to Bosnia earlier this year. This quote is one of the reasons I along with others in East Lancashire pushed for this memorial event to take place so that we can take lessons from what happened and reject the way of intolerance, injustice and hate.”

A Curtis Law spokesperson said, “As part of our official Community Social Responsibility (CSR) programme aimed at investing in the community that we serve we felt by co-hosting the first Srebrenica Memorial event in the North West of England we would raise awareness of the atrocities that took place almost 20 years ago.

“In addition to inviting local dignitaries there was a big emphasis on including students from local schools. Student delegates were invited to witness the stories from the mothers of the victims.

“As a following up to the event we are providing local schools with the support to prepare presentations to their respective schools based on what they learnt at the memorial.

“At Curtis Law Solicitors we feel it is important for community cohesion to learn lessons from the past and share them with future generations to ensure that we do not witness a repeat of such an atrocity.”

The day followed a moving itinerary of prayer, speech, video and poem with talks from the mothers who lived throughout the tragedy and lost their sons during the conflict.

The ceremony began with both a Christian and Islamic prayer from the representative religious figures of Blackburn.

Following the prayers Dr Waqar Azmi, a chairman of the ‘Remember Srebrenica’ campaign, proceeded to make a speech that not only focused on the trauma of the Srebrenica event but helped illuminate the rise in intolerance and hatred that contributed to such actions.

Azmi said: “Bosnia is a gem in Europe. Absolutely full of beauty. Everyone is white and blonde with blue eyes. There is no difference in terms of ethnicity, in terms of appearance.

“Still, there was murder of its own people because of power. If a same race can make genocide, what is the future of our society? It is paramount to learn lessons from Srebrenica and work hard to eliminate hatred, prejudice and intolerance in our society.”