A BASILDON teenager has been praised by the town's two MPs for his humanity.

Ryan Donnelly, 16, is a member of the young twins section of the Basildon Borough Twinning Association and he approached Basildon Council to ask them to consider an initiative to highlight the "Remembering Srebrenica" week which began on 3 July and finishes on Sunday (11 July)

Ryan said: "In 2017 my school, Beauchamps High School Wickford, along with Woodlands School in Basildon signed up to the "Peace Field Initiative" as part of the Basildon Borough Twinning Association Project "Forget Never" which commemorated the events of the First World War along with the Basildon Heritage Group.

"For the past four years I have played in the peace games between our two schools and we have attempted to highlight a number of campaigns in the name of Peace and Reconciliation education.

"One of these has been Remembering Srebrenica, whose strap line says "Let us build a society free from hatred".

"I understand that Thurrock Council have a statement on their Council website and so I approached Basildon Council to ask if they would consider doing something similar. I understand that local MP Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon & East Thurrock ) has visited Srebrenica and encouraged me to approach Basildon Council and ask them to support my suggestion.

"In a ceremony on Monday (5 July) outside the Basildon Centre a memorial flag was presented to Cllr Terri Sargent, Chairman of the Community and Wellbeing Committee in the hope that the Council will agree to support our initiative."

Mr Metcalfe MP for said: "Remembering Srebrenica is an important day each year as it reminds us of the fact that even in the modern world man is still capable of inflicting genocide on others.

"Having visited Srebrenica and heard first-hand accounts of the incredible loss people suffered and the pain endured I have no hesitation in describing these events as an unspeakable and inhumane genocide. The world community must continue to remember 8,373 people who dies in one of the most brutal acts since the second world war.

"I would like to offer my congratulations to Ryan Donnelly and the Basildon Young Twins for their superb initiative. They are an inspiration to our young people and our community generally. We must learn to combat hatred in all its forms in our society."

Basildon & Billericay MP John Baron added: "The terrible events at Srebrenica are a constant reminder of the dangers of hatred and of the importance of tolerance. I wish the Young Twins well in their efforts."

About Srebrenica

Fifty years after the world said "Never Again" to the horrors of the Holocaust, genocide took place on European soil.

The name Srebrenica has become synonymous with those dark days in July 1995 when, in the first ever United Nations declared safe area, thousands of men and boys were systematically murdered and buried in mass graves. The victims, who were Muslim, were selected for death on the basis of their identity. This was the worst atrocity on European soil since the Second World War.

You can find out more via this link.