Holocaust survivors to mark Auschwitz liberation

A general view of the womens huts at the Birkenau camp Credit: Dave Thompson/PA Archive/Press Association Images

Holocaust survivors and members of the public will today observe a memorial day to mark the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

Ben Helfgott, a survivor and president of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, will light a candle at the Millennium Bridge in central London as a choir sings an originally composed song called Bridge of Voice.

Olivia Marks-Woldman, chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, said: "Whole communities were completely destroyed during the Holocaust and subsequent genocides, which is why we are asking people to honour Holocaust Memorial Day 2013 by building bridges within their communities."

The memorial day comes after Liberal Democrat MP David Ward this week sparked a backlash when he accused "the Jews" of atrocities against Palestinians.

He wrote in a blog post: "Having visited Auschwitz twice - once with my family and once with local schools.

David Cameron signs the Book of Commitment ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day Credit: Suzanne Plunkett/PA Wire/Press Association Images

"I am saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza."

Tomorrow, a second memorial event will see 500 Holocaust and genocide survivors, senior politicians, young people, religious leaders and dignitaries gather at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre in London.

The UK Commemorative Event will feature contributions from survivors of both the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide.