Iranian sculptor to make memorial for Srebrenica massacre victims

TEHRAN,Aug.26(MNA) – Iranian sculptor Afshin Esfandiari has been commissioned to make a memorial for the victims of the Srebrenica massacre, in which thousands of Bosnian Muslims were killed. The Srebrenica Massacre, also known as the Srebrenica Genocide, refers to the July 1995 killing of over 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces, in and around the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War. The original concept to make the memorial was proposed by the University of Sarajevo to Iran’s Cultural Attaché’s Office in Sarajevo, and a request was later submitted to the artist by Iranian officials, Esfandiari told on Saturday. Several sessions of negotiations have taken place with the officials of the university about the size of the memorial and the materials to be used, he said, adding, “As soon as we come to an agreement, I will begin the design.” He added that the design of the memorial would be of great importance since it will carry the abstract concept of thousands martyred Muslims; moreover it is going to promote peace. “I have two months to work on the project and I have plans to make a trip to Sarajevo in February,” he said. Esfandiari had donated the sculptures of Ferdowsi and Rudaki to the Tajikistan National Museum during Iranian culture week in Dushanbe in 2011.