{"id":28182,"date":"2026-05-25T10:36:20","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T08:36:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/?p=28182"},"modified":"2026-05-25T11:43:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T09:43:10","slug":"removal-from-ihra-delegation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/removal-from-ihra-delegation\/","title":{"rendered":"Silencing independent voices &#8211; removal from IHRA delegation"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='av_section_1'  class='avia-section av-2n993va-894c26f3a195137fc3986ab1d7e9f71b main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-0  avia-builder-el-no-sibling  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><main  role=\"main\" itemprop=\"mainContentOfPage\"  class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-28182'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div  class='flex_column av-25mgqom-263dfce704348aadea06bf0110735fd2 av_three_fourth  avia-builder-el-1  el_before_av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div  '     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mpkx1l1b-486faf81c6aec5935a4b23fdcae86668 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h1>Silencing Independent Voices<\/h1>\n<h2>Removal of Terraforming from Serbian IHRA Delegation Raises Serious Questions Over Serbia\u2019s Genuine Commitment to IHRA Principles<\/h2>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-1130vhy-29162e6d45c9f3f4e14981a9dd4b1914\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-1130vhy-29162e6d45c9f3f4e14981a9dd4b1914{\nheight:35px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-1130vhy-29162e6d45c9f3f4e14981a9dd4b1914 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-3  el_before_av_hr  avia-builder-el-first '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<h4>Statement released on May 25 2026.<\/h4>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-pekk3a-a2e5aecdae6f4b8ccd7ec0bdcf451230\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-pekk3a-a2e5aecdae6f4b8ccd7ec0bdcf451230{\nheight:35px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-pekk3a-a2e5aecdae6f4b8ccd7ec0bdcf451230 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Nevena Bajalica and I have been removed from the Serbian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance IHRA. This did not come as a surprise, but it remains deeply troubling, as it raises questions about Serbia\u2019s genuine commitment to IHRA principles.<\/p>\n<h3>Terraforming as Serbia\u2019s Bridge to IHRA Standards<\/h3>\n<p>For years, Terraforming has been one of the main, and often the sole link between IHRA and Serbian society. We have been the principal force that worked directly with teachers, archivists, librarians, museum professionals, civil society organizations, local communities, and public institutions to promote and implement IHRA values, tools, and standards in Serbia.<\/p>\n<p>Much of Serbia\u2019s IHRA-related progress in the past decade was driven by our work: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mfa.rs\/mediji\/saopstenja\/vlada-srbije-na-predlog-msp-usvojila-zakljucak-o-prihvatanju-pravno-neobavezujuce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">the adoption of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism by the Serbian Government<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/ihra-recommendations\/\">the Serbian translation and promotion of the IHRA Recommendations for Teaching and Learning about the Holocaust<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/two-major-international-programs-on-holocaust-education-and-digital-memory\/\">capacity-building trainings for educators and professionals<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/ihra-recommendations-for-teaching-and-learning-about-the-genocide-of-the-roma\/\">the ongoing translation of the Serbian version of the IHRA Recommendations on the Persecution and Genocide of the Roma<\/a>; and our contribution to the legal and institutional framework for the Memorial Center \u201cStaro Sajmi\u0161te,\u201d to mention some.<\/p>\n<h3>Isolation, Pressure, Threats and Obstruction<\/h3>\n<p>At the same time, our work takes place in an increasingly hostile environment. As only independent voices within the delegation, we consistently raised concerns about antisemitism, Holocaust distortion, antigypsyism, and the abuse of history for nationalist and populist propaganda. In the past years, this led to increased isolation, intimidation, and even threats from Serbian officials involved in IHRA-related work. We were excluded from internal communication and coordination, and pressured to \u201ctone down\u201d our remarks on domestic antisemitism and historical distortion. Our engagement in IHRA internal projects and processes was not only ignored and boycotted but also actively obstructed by our own delegation.<\/p>\n<p>Our formal removal from the IHRA delegation was carried out without communication, consultation, explanation, or any attempt at handover or knowledge transfer. We learned of it not from Serbian officials, but from the IHRA Permanent Office in Berlin, several weeks later.<\/p>\n<h3>Part of a Wider Crackdown on Free Voices<\/h3>\n<p>Our exclusion is not simply a matter of &#8220;administrative delegation reorganization.&#8221; It is happening within a dangerous, wider crackdown on Serbian civil society, free media, academia, educators, cultural professionals, and those who defend democracy and the rule of law. Historical distortion has become a political tool. Opponents are regularly called by officials and in the state-controlled media \u201cUsta\u0161a,\u201d \u201cNazis,\u201d \u201cforeign agents,\u201d or \u201cpaid by Soros.\u201d This is precisely the environment in which Holocaust education, responsible remembrance, and the fight against antisemitism and antigypsyism must remain independent and principled.<\/p>\n<h3>A Test of Serbia\u2019s Commitment to IHRA Principles<\/h3>\n<p>The question now is not who has been newly included in the Serbian IHRA delegation. The concern is who has been deliberately excluded.<\/p>\n<p>If Terraforming \u2014 the most visible and internationally recognized actor in Holocaust education, remembrance, and countering distortion, antisemitism, and antigypsyism in Serbia, awarded the Yehuda Bauer Grant by IHRA, and the only independent expert voice \u2014 is removed from the delegation, this raises serious questions about the credibility and direction of Serbia\u2019s engagement with IHRA.<\/p>\n<h3>Undeterred: Our Unwavering Commitment<\/h3>\n<p>Regardless of our formal status, Terraforming will continue to promote IHRA values and standards in Serbian society. We will continue to support educators and institutions, counter antisemitism and historical distortion, and insist that Serbian decision-makers uphold the international commitments connected to IHRA membership.<\/p>\n<p>We view our removal as yet another act of intimidation. But this also proves that our work is both absolutely necessary and deeply impactful. Rather than discouraging us, this attempt to set us back only inspires us, deepening our determination and renewing our commitment.<\/p>\n<p>We urge our colleagues and friends in the international and Serbian professional memory communities to continue standing with us in strengthening remembrance culture as a shared civilizational responsibility and a cornerstone of our democracies, preserving it from political abuse and distortion, while actively confronting contemporary antisemitism and antigypsyism.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mi\u0161ko Stani\u0161i\u0107, Director<\/strong><\/p>\n<div  class='hr av-1aaaghi-2852b209a47d9dab7fa7b9319cf58094 hr-full  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_hr  avia-builder-el-last  hr-no-shadow'><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Media Inquiries<\/h3>\n<p><strong>For media inquiries, please contact Nemanja Stevanovi\u0107 at<\/strong> <a href=\"mailto:nemanja.stevanovic@terraforming.org\">nemanja.stevanovic@terraforming.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div  class='flex_column av-105mggm-4b502d5d911866cd80da52930c003c64 av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_three_fourth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div  '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-io2pee-46e2c65fd29c4114d44d85d1760be78b\">\n.avia-image-container.av-io2pee-46e2c65fd29c4114d44d85d1760be78b img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-io2pee-46e2c65fd29c4114d44d85d1760be78b .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-io2pee-46e2c65fd29c4114d44d85d1760be78b av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-7  el_before_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-first '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class='wp-image-27875 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-27875 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT-1030x1030.jpg\" alt='Statement' title='Statement'  height=\"1030\" width=\"1030\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT-1030x1030.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT-80x80.jpg 80w, https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT-36x36.jpg 36w, https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT-180x180.jpg 180w, https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT-705x705.jpg 705w, https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1030px) 100vw, 1030px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mpkya1ud-8052d9366fe54239a7d954348fdbd3fa '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><blockquote>\n<p>If Terraforming \u2014 the most visible and internationally recognized actor in Holocaust education, remembrance, and countering distortion, antisemitism, and antigypsyism in Serbia, awarded the Yehuda Bauer Grant by IHRA, and the only independent expert voice \u2014 is removed from the delegation, this raises serious questions about the credibility and direction of Serbia\u2019s engagement with IHRA.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nevena Bajalica and Mi\u0161ko Stani\u0161i\u0107 have been removed from the Serbian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance IHRA. This did not come as a surprise, but it remains deeply troubling, as it raises questions about Serbia\u2019s genuine commitment to IHRA principles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27875,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,3065],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-statements-press"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/STATEMENT.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28182","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28182"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28182\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28232,"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28182\/revisions\/28232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terraforming.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}