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The 20th Jubilee EMMAUS – International Youth Work Camp Officially Opened in Potočari

With the presence of numerous volunteers, staff members, and friends of MFS-EMMAUS, the 20th EMMAUS – International Youth Work Camp was officially opened today at the “House of Encounters” sports and recreational center in Pale, near Srebrenica.

This year, the camp brings together 78 volunteers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, France, Turkey, Italy, and Germany, who will be accommodated at the Student Dormitory for Children in Potočari.

Several volunteers and initiators of the camp—people who have nurtured this idea since 2006—spoke at the opening ceremony, reflecting on how the camp has endured and grown over the years.

A special moment of the opening was the speech by Fazila Efendić, president of the “Mothers of Srebrenica” association, who officially declared the camp open. On this occasion, she was presented with a Proclamation by the Governor of the U.S. State of Maryland, which designates July 11 as Srebrenica Genocide Remembrance Day. The proclamation was delivered by Dr. Emir Nurkić Kačapor, one of the original initiators of the youth work camps, currently residing in the United States. The camp was also attended by the Vice President of Republika Srpska, Ćamil Duraković.

Throughout the duration of the camp, participants will engage in numerous activities, including the construction of the “House of Encounters” in Pale, distribution of meals to people in need through the “One Meal a Day” project, visits and support to the Mothers of Srebrenica in remote villages, and much more.

Educational content will include visits to the Srebrenica Memorial Center—featuring history lessons—alongside creative and artistic workshops, as well as various entertaining and cultural activities: karaoke, international night, sports tournaments, excursions, and more.

A special feature of this year’s program is the second edition of the Silver Frame Film Festival, which will be held as part of the camp.

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Since its founding in 2006, the camp has brought together more than 3,000 volunteers from 30 countries around the world.
Year after year, the camp unites young people from diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, promoting tolerance, coexistence, and equality.

It is a unique opportunity for young people to meet, connect, and work together to support the local population in building a better future.

Twenty years later – the idea is still alive and growing.
The traces of volunteer work can be seen everywhere: in the smiles of children, in the eyes of the Mothers of Srebrenica, in the rebuilt roads, homes, and newly constructed facilities.

Thanks to our volunteers and their dedication to community welfare, the following have been built:

  • the Student Dormitory for Children,

  • the Elderly Care Home “Hatidža Mehmedović”, and

  • the sports and recreational center “House of Encounters” in Pale.