WELCOME TO THE WHA
Founded by Webster University students and faculty, the Webster Humanitarian Association (WHA) is based on the Geneva campus in Switzerland. The WHA organises regular events and campaigns designed to raise the campus community's awareness of human rights issues. In partnership with local Bosnian NGO's and universities, the WHA cooperates on a number of projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through these partnerships student members have the unique opportunity to engage in supervised research. They also contribute to the on-going development of community-based projects which promote education, reconciliation and sustainable development in towns such as Srebrenica.
The WHA relies on the generous donations of its supporters and friends. If you would like to know more about how you can contribute, please browse the website or contact us at the address below.
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Peace March
Every year thousands of men and women take part in the Mars Mira “Peace March” in Bosnia to mark the anniversary of the genocide that took place in Srebrenica in 1995, where more than 8000 men and boys were killed. The walk, which reverses the 110 km route taken in 1995 by the men trying to escape the siege, starts just outside Tuzla and concludes at the Potocari Memorial Ground on July 11th. Over the course of three days, the participants walk through woods and villages, and follow a series of very steep rises and descents. On the way, they stop at marked sites at which some of the escaping men were killed by ambush or land mines. Last year the temperature during the day stayed pretty consistently at a scorching 42 degrees Celsius under a relentless sun.
The march concluded, as it does every year, on July 11th, the anniversary of the genocide, with the burial of all the bodies and parts of bodies that had been identified during the last year. Last summer, 617 bodies were laid to rest at the Potocari Cemetery. 40,000 friends and members of families were there to mark the occasion.
As part of the WHA’s solidarity with the survivors of the genocide, two of its members, Dr. Joe Pirri and Kristian Skeie, also participated in this year’s walk.