The King has marked the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide by hailing the “extraordinary courage, compassion and dignity” of those left behind.
More than 8,000 men and boys were killed on July 11 1995 by Bosnian Serb forces amid the break-up of the former Yugoslavia – Europe’s worst atrocity since the Second World War.
The Duchess of Edinburgh is on a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina to mark the anniversary.
Sophie delivered a message from the King in which he said he was “greatly saddened” not to be there in person, adding that he is “most touched and grateful to be able to share these words as we pay our respects”.
In his message, Charles said: “I have spoken before about the terrible events of thirty years ago, confirmed as genocide by international courts.
“Many of the individuals responsible are now rightly facing justice, but this does not absolve the rest of us of our duties: both to acknowledge the international community’s failure to prevent the horror, and to do all we can to ensure it never happens again.
“I humbly salute the Mothers of Srebrenica, and all who do so much, despite their continuing anguish, to preserve the memory of those who died. It has meant a very great deal to me, in past years, to have met survivors, mothers and family members of the missing, for whom I have such admiration.
“Their extraordinary courage, compassion and dignity are a lesson to us all, and it is my hope that we may all take inspiration from their incredible resilience under such unbearable circumstances.”
Charles also spoke of taking inspiration from “those who bravely speak out in pursuit of justice and those who dedicate their lives to rebuilding trust between communities for the sake of a better, shared future”.
He said: “These praiseworthy individuals can be found from all walks of life, and from across all ethnic groups, in Bosnia and Herzegovina and around the world.
“But there can be no shared future when the events of the past are denied or forgotten.
“Only by learning from the past does it become possible to share in each other’s loss and look together to the future.
“Only by working together to find the missing can there be closure for those still seeking answers.
“Three decades on, it is ever more important to remember all those who suffered, and to redouble our efforts to ensure a peaceful, stable future for all the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
He concluded his message by saying: “Today, as we remember the victims, those who so tragically died and those who were left behind, let us honour their memory by standing alongside each and every one of those who work so tirelessly to promote understanding and tolerance between all peoples, of all faiths, nationalities and ethnicities, in the ongoing pursuit of a just and brighter future.”
