CSU Professor David Pettigrew, Philosophy Department chair, was invited to Stockholm in early December to participate in a panel discussion at the Swedish Forum for Human Rights 2025. The Alliance of Bosnian-Herzegovinian Associations in Sweden (BH Alliance) invited him to participate in the panel, which, Pettigrew said, addressed “some of the most difficult and essential themes for Southeastern Europe and for Europe as a whole: genocide and its denial, transitional justice, memorialization, and the ethical and political foundations of sustainable peace after the Srebrenica Genocide.” Titled “Years of Darkness – From political uncertainty and denial to sustainable peace?” the panel was moderated by Maria Hallenius, and in addition to Pettigrew, included Azra Zornić, a citizen of Bosnia and Herzogovina and sociology professor, and activist Miloš Miljatović.
For many years, Pettigrew has extensively researched, written, and spoken about the Bosnian genocide that began in the Balkans in 1992 when Serb nationalists sought a “Greater Serbia” and Croat nationalists pursued a “Greater Croatia.”
In the course of Pettigrew’s remarks, he emphasized the crucial role of education for raising awareness about genocide and the need to support the right to memorialization and to prevent genocide denial in order to bring about a lasting cultural transformation. Zornić emphasized the importance of justice and political equality for all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Miljatović stressed the importance for politicians in Republika Srpska and Serbia today to denounce the ideological goals of the 1990s.
He says that the panel in Stockholm held a prominent place within one of Europe’s largest human rights gatherings, with more than 2,600 in attendance, including the participation of 140 organizations and 111 programs/seminars addressing the themes of democracy and justice. He remarked, “I was impressed by the engagement of the large number of young people in the audience at our panel and their interest in ensuring a democratic future for Bosnia.”
Pettigrew’s participation in the forum was supported by The Alliance of Bosnian-Herzegovinian Associations in Sweden (BH Alliance) and the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sweden.
In addition to sitting on the panel, Pettigrew met at Swedish Parliament with Parliament Member Dženan Čišija and joined a meeting that included diplomats H.E. Ms Shkëndije Geci Sherifi, ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to the Kingdom of Sweden, and H.E. Bojan Šošić, ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Kingdom of Sweden, as well as Dr. Christina Doctare, recipient of the 1988 Nobel Peace Prize.
