SKAC Osijek Calls on Youth: Let Us Walk "IN THEIR STEAD" for the Missing Victims of the Homeland War

There are names that must never be forgotten and families who are still awaiting answers. That is why SKAC Osijek is calling on young people from across Croatia to join the initiative "In Their Stead" (Umjesto njih) and, on November 18, the Remembrance Day for the Victims of Vukovar, pay tribute through their presence and footsteps to the missing Croatian defenders and civilians of the Homeland War. In the memorial procession through Vukovar, wearing T-shirts bearing the names of the 1,725 missing individuals, youth will become the voice of those who can no longer speak, showing the families who still wait that their loved ones are not forgotten. Behind every name lies a life—someone’s son, father, brother, husband, or friend; an individual who had dreams and a place in a family, but never returned.

Their names are not merely part of history, but a collective responsibility to uphold the truth and dignity of every victim.

The "In Their Stead" initiative is a call to unity, empathy, and concrete action. Although many young people did not personally live through the wartime period, they have the opportunity to show that they understand the value of freedom and the sacrifice upon which our homeland rests. Our presence in Vukovar cannot erase the pain or turn back time, but we can show that we remember, that we care, and that the families of the missing are not alone.

SKAC Osijek invites young people to respond, gather in fellowship, and become part of a message that transcends a single day and a single town. May our participation stand as a mark of respect for those who laid down their lives for Croatia and as a promise that we will never consign their names to oblivion. Patriotism is demonstrated through actions—through the willingness to remember, to stand beside others, and to pass the values of freedom on to future generations.

Join us on November 18 in Vukovar. Wear a T-shirt with the name of a missing person, stand alongside youth from across Croatia, and walk for those who never returned. May each of our footsteps be a testament that they are not forgotten, and may every name serve as a reminder that behind history stand real people whose destinies deserve the truth.

"IN THEIR STEAD" – BE THEIR VOICE.

PHOTO: SKAC OSIJEK