Exhibition in Mitrovica Highlights Destruction of Balkan Mosques and Targeting of Muslim Identity

Exhibition in Mitrovica Highlights Destruction of Balkan Mosques and Targeting of Muslim Identity
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A new exhibition titled “Destroyed Mosques” opened in Mitrovica, northern Kosovo, documenting the widespread destruction of Islamic religious sites during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s and drawing attention to the targeted erasure of Muslim identity in the region.

The exhibition presents a visual record of mosques and Islamic institutions in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina that were destroyed or severely damaged during the wars, showing that the attacks were not merely collateral damage from military operations but part of a deliberate campaign to undermine the religious and cultural presence of Muslim communities.

Organizers, according to the website Muslims Around the World, emphasized that the exhibition aims to preserve historical memory and raise awareness among younger generations about organized Islamophobia that targeted Muslim heritage under the guise of war. The visual documentation also highlights the broader cultural and identity-related consequences of the destruction, which affected the collective memory of Balkan Muslims.

The mayor of Mitrovica described the exhibition as a reflection of organized crimes against humanity and religious heritage, while Kosovo historian Anis Kelmendi noted that approximately 80% of mosques in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina were either completely destroyed or severely damaged.

The three-day exhibition, attended by local officials, religious leaders, and citizens, serves both as a memorial to the lost heritage and a tool for educating future generations about the systematic targeting of Muslim communities in the Balkans. It underscores the enduring social and cultural impact of the conflicts on the region’s Islamic identity.