After Srebrenica we said "never again", yet today we are repeating that terrible mistake in Gaza

In her speech, President Pirc Musar underlined the importance of Srebrenica in the context of the international commitment "never again". She wondered aloud how deeply, if at all, this commitment has been internalised. He words stressed that the international community has a duty to stop genocidal acts, not only because of the horrific experience of Srebrenica, but also because of the horrors that the failed promise of "never again" has caused in both world wars and later in the world, as in Rwanda, for example.

She went on to reflect on the role of international organisations such as the League of Nations and the United Nations, which were established to prevent the horrors of the past from ever happening again. "The decision to establish these organisations was taken in the knowledge that the terrible mistakes of the past must not be repeated. Unfortunately, in today's world, politicians are too focused on their own survival and the interests of their countries, even at the expense of others."

The President stressed the importance of Slovenia's recognition of Palestine and the need to respect international law. "In Slovenia, we direct our efforts towards a form of coexistence between Palestine and Israel – this must be achieved with the help of capable international mediators. A two-state solution seems to be the only real way forward, and the Palestinians must never be deprived of their own state within the internationally recognised 1967 borders."

She concluded her speech by calling for efforts to identify and prevent genocidal acts and to preserve human dignity for all. "The protection of human dignity is the foundation of everything. What is going on in Gaza is a defeat of humanity. Politicians must stop looking away and must act against genocidal behaviour. If we do not act, we are setting a bad example for future generations."

On the margins of the conference, President Pirc Musar also held a bilateral meeting with the Qatari Minister of State for International Cooperation, Lolwah Al-Khater. They discussed the situation in the Middle East and the issue of return of Ukrainian children abducted during the Russian aggression to Ukraine. Slovenia is a member of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, and Qatar has played a leading role in this area.