St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Honors the 30th Anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide
2 June 2025 (St. Louis, Missouri, USA) – As the world prepares to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, a poignant and powerful collaboration unfolded last night in the heart of the American Midwest before an audience of 600 guests, sponsored by a consortium of groups that make up the Srebrenica Remembrance Coalition (https://neverforgetsrebrenica.org/)
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) – in partnership with the Bosnian-American community, the Center for Bosnian Studies at Saint Louis University, and the St. Louis County Library – presented a groundbreaking cultural initiative titled Bosnian Journeys—a concert program and storytelling series that honors memory, identity, and resilience through the universal language of music.
This powerful musical program explored the resilience, heritage, and cultural identity of the Bosnian community in St. Louis, serving as a prelude to the main commemoration event at the Soldiers Memorial Museum in St. Louis on July 12, 2025, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. The oral histories from the Center for Bosnian Studies and the music—infused with traditional Bosnian Sevdah melodies and contemporary classical elements—captured the emotional landscape of the Bosnian diaspora journey.
A Community Rooted in Memory
Home to the largest Bosnian population outside of Europe, St. Louis has become a vital epicenter for Bosnian-American life since the arrival of refugees during and after the 1992–1995 war. With an estimated 60,000 Bosnians resettled in the city, the trauma of genocide, displacement, and exile remains deeply felt—but so does a powerful sense of survival and contribution.
“Bosnian Journeys is more than a concert. It’s a cultural bridge,” said Akif Cogo, who addressed the audience before the event and whose story was featured in the program. “Through music and our stories, we are honoring those who perished, those who survived, and those who rebuilt their lives right here in St. Louis.”
Bridging Cultures, Building Futures
As the 30th anniversary approaches, Bosnian Journeys stands as a solemn tribute and a hopeful act of cultural healing. It reminds audiences that while memory can be painful, it can also be transformative. Through the power of symphonic music, the SLSO and the Bosnian community of St. Louis forged a shared path of remembrance—one that uplifts voices long silenced and ensures that the tragedy of genocide is never forgotten.
“To remember is to resist,” said one survivor whose story was featured in the program. “And in music, we remember together.”
