Dr Smajo Bešo, a survivor of the Bosnian genocide who fled to the North East as a child, is sharing his family's story in a new exhibition at Newcastle's Discovery Museum. The From Bosnia to Tyneside exhibition opens this Friday, the day before the UN-recognised Srebrenica memorial day, and features film, family photographs, and personal artefacts.
Exhibition Details
The exhibition charts Dr Bešo's family's journey to safety in the mid-1990s. It includes his memories of family fatalities, witnessing violence, separation from his family, and moving 14 times before arriving in Newcastle and reuniting with his father and siblings. The display is said to reflect the experience of millions of people affected by the war, with objects and photographs gathered through research from across the wider Bosnian community and beyond.
Dr Bešo arrived in the UK aged nine, after more than 1.2 million people fled Bosnia by the end of the war in 1995. Around 4,500 refugees formally resettled in the UK. He went on to establish the Bosnian Genocide Educational Trust, became a doctoral researcher, and was awarded an OBE for services to genocide education and commemoration in 2023.
Community and Historical Significance
Dr Bešo said: "This exhibition isn't only about my family's history, or even the history of the North East Bosnian community — it is about the history of the North East, particularly its humanitarian history. A history of welcoming, kind, and compassionate people. Without it, the history of the North East is incomplete. Telling this story here, at Discovery Museum, means it becomes part of the public record of this region."
He added: "And this display is only the beginning. Over the next few years, I'll be recording the stories of Bosnians across the North East, their friends and supporters of the community, so that this history is preserved properly."
Museum's Perspective
Kylea Little, keeper of history at the Discovery Museum, said it was a privilege to be entrusted with Dr Bešo's story. She said: "When Smajo came to Newcastle as a child it was during the largest refugee crisis Europe had experienced since World War II. Smajo is now using his first-hand experiences of unimaginable trauma to help others. We are very honoured to be able to support Smajo in his wider aim to educate people about the Bosnian genocide."
Visitor Information
Visitors can find From Bosnia to Tyneside on the second floor of the Discovery Museum in the Destination Tyneside gallery until July 28, 2027, which is dedicated to people from all over the world who have made Tyneside their home. Entry to the Discovery Museum is free, and tickets for the launch event can be booked online.
