Millions of people murdered during the Holocaust under Nazi persecution and in other subsequent genocides were remembered in services across the Britain on Sunday as part of Holocaust Memorial Day.
An estimated 1,500 events took place up and down the country including one on the Millennium Bridge in central London.
The theme this year is “build a bridge”, with people asked to build improved relationships between communities to challenge persecution and hatred in Britain.
Holocaust survivor 83-year-old Ben Helfgott said the event was a “reminder of what happened and why it happened”.
Helfgott’s family were killed and he spent a total of five years, eight months and five days in ghettos, labour and concentration camps. He said: “A whole people was destroyed even though they didn’t do anything wrong.
He said “It was terrible — I remember people being murdered, beaten up, people in hunger.”
Prime Minister David Cameron wrote on Twitter: “Memorial Day is a day to remember the innocent victims of the Holocaust, and re-commit to combat all forms of racism & prejudice.”
Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt MP said he is proud of the work that goes on throughout the year to remember the Holocaust and subsequent genocides. He said: “For those who cause harm, memory is the enemy.”
A second memorial event will take place in central London on Monday gathering together 500 Holocaust and genocide survivors and politicians, young people, religious leaders.
The UK Commemorative Event will feature contributions from survivors of both the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide.
Britain remembers Holocaust dead
