: destruction... if the gates of destruction... if extremists are not stopped at the gates of anti—semitism they will eventually take over executive power in their states and what is the situation today? who could imagine that just 75 years after the holocaust, jews would again be afraid to walk the streets of europe wearing jewish symbols? who would have imagined that synagogues would be attacked again and cemeteries desecrated and even destroyed on a regular basis? as president of the european jewish congress, regular basis? as president of the europeanjewish congress, i can only offer you a picture of communities hiding behind high fences and

security doors. more than 80% of them feel unsafe in europe today while more than 40% are considering leaving europe entirely and in recent yea rs, leaving europe entirely and in recent years, 3% have done so annually. if we think about this figure for a moment, annually. if we think about this figure fora moment, it annually. if we think about this figure for a moment, it means that at this rate, and only 30 years, there could be nojews in europe. what must be done? firstly, we must educate about the holocaust and about the dangers of anti—semitism, racism and xenophobia and particularly from the very early age, secondly, we must introduce meaningful legislation, finally,

thirdly, fully enforce it. in this regard there is so much we can learn from one another. for example, germany adopted a law two yea rs example, germany adopted a law two years ago against online hate speech addressing one of the most powerful platforms that anti—semitism and racism today, the internet. the united states has recently addressed the growing anti—semitism on university campuses with an executive order which permits the restricting of federal funds for universities that do not combat anti—semitism. france passed legislation against boycotts of people and products based on nationality, addressing the new type

of anti—semitism which targets the jewish state. just a few weeks ago they passed a resolution acknowledging that anti—zionism is anti—semitism. great britain is a model of how effectively to respond to anti—semitism. it created a task force combined with law enforcement agencies, legal institutions and civil society organisations to effectively coordinate and act against anti—semitism. and russia, where we find may be the lowest rates of anti—semitism due to a very uncompromising long—term policy towards anti—semitism, and anti—semitic incidents are treated with maximum severity, therefore

practically eliminating anti—semitism in the public arena. these five positive examples of strong leadership should be common all over europe and all over the world. so, to resume, we have to equate legally and practically the words and actions of anti—semitism to the words and actions of extremism and even terrorism, otherwise it will be too late when extremism takes over executive power country by country, which means your power and our mutual future. country by country, which means your power and our mutualfuture. we are together today united in our words and our belief for a future free from anti—semitism, racism and

xenophobia. together we will plant the scenes of trust and belief, so oui’ the scenes of trust and belief, so our daily prayers for salvation will be answered. i thank each and every one of you for being here for your dedication, belief and commitment. thank you. applause thank you. we are honoured to have us thank you. we are honoured to have us with us here and international philharmonic orchestra made up of musicians from russia, france, germany, israel, poland and the united states. this is led by an

artiste. applause it will now perform the piece evening prayer, last night in the ghetto from the symphony yellow stars composed by isaac sports. —— isaac schwartz. classical music plays. studio: we are staying with these events. you are watching bbc world news with philippa thomas. you have joined us here on impact. we are staying with these ceremonies. we will be listening to speeches from

vladimir putin, the president of russia, the president of germany will be speaking and we will be hearing from the holocaust survivor who is now chairman of the council. we will bring you much of the ceremony to come. i want to remind you that with us through these events today is historian helen fry. just a thought from viewers who are joining us now about how important it is to remember, and why. no we take it for granted and cliched comments about remembrance.“ take it for granted and cliched comments about remembrance. if we are not in czech about our history and the events that really happened, we are with the rise of anti—semitism no in danger of repeating history. sentence macro they would eventually hold the reins

of executive power if not. people make comparisons with contemporary situation is not dissimilar as it is perceived to the 1930s. we have to be on our guard and be guardians of democracy and of memory. the two are very much closely interwoven. some people watching might think we know about the holocaust and we have been told about the holocaust, and yet you were just talking about the fact that for every generation and for every generation of young adults, things need to be explained again. absolutely. we cannot assume and thatis absolutely. we cannot assume and that is one of the lessons coming out now, in the 19905 when i was involved in history and education we thought great, it is going well, but ju5t thought great, it is going well, but just 20 or 30 years later here we are with the huge ri5e just 20 or 30 years later here we are with the huge rise of anti—semiti5m and in somejewish quarter i5 anti—semiti5m and in somejewish quarter is the belief that holocaust education has failed and we need to look and the fact that every

generation, we do need to educate and find new ways of telling the story but true to its history, new mediums of telling the story in this digital age. we also cannot escape the fact that this is deeply political, so for example you have 5uch political, so for example you have such a gathering of heads of state, dignitaries in israel at this moment, the president of poland isn't there. yes, this is not 5urpri5ing isn't there. yes, this is not surprising that this has been rumbling on for the last few years in many ways, toju5t rumbling on for the last few years in many ways, to just explain, poland 5ee5 itself as a victim of the holocaust, this is the message they are wanting to put forward, that they were occupied by the nazis and yes that is true, they were occupied by the nazis but we also shouldn't forget the history way back but also the media history in the 19305 of the anti—semiti5m very bad in poland, so we have a complex

5ituation, persecutions against bad in poland, so we have a complex 5ituation, persecutions again5tjew5 in the 305 in poland but polish history is complex and that collaborators with the nazis, also a ct5 collaborators with the nazis, also acts of heroism, resistance and the polish pilots that vote with our airmen during the war, so... the poll5 today noted that up to 3 million due5 than appeared in the next speaker we are expecting to hear from and the way he has been talking about with the holocaust and pull on's road. absolutely. we mustn't forget russia became one of the allies and it can became one of the allies and it can be argued that militarily without russia and without america the war and the outcome could have been different. talk earlier about stalingrad and the sacrifices and it i5 stalingrad and the sacrifices and it is through the russians made huge

5acrifice5 is through the russians made huge sacrifices and the documentation i work on talks about the wholesale slaughter ofjew in an annihilation programme but also there were russians and poles and there was intense human suffering and how we talk about that without rewriting. the difficult situation we are in. to keep talking about revisionism and the fact that you know as a historian, new sources come to light even now and had to be taken account of. when i was going up and learning history and a passion for history you almost thought you lived in a bubble that knew everything about the second world war. of course now decades later there is still new material coming out and just when we think there was nothing more we could possibly understand and particularly with the holocaust, i

am working on new documentation about what the allies do and why they could or couldn't do anything about it, whether they did anything about it, whether they did anything about it, whether they did anything about it, so lots of exciting new stuff coming out and much more complex than we imagined. we have to still keep working with that material. and find ways of translating that to a next generation to get them inspired with the stories. history is alive and being rewritten and we need to be alert to that and it is a programme of co nsta nt alert to that and it is a programme of constant education and re—education. at this point we will get back into allow viewers who are watching the ceremony and watching this event as a whole to say a little more and to hear a little more of what is taking place. classical music plays.

applause allied nations came together naughty to defeat nazi germany and its collaborators. theirjoint efforts and unity of purpose save the word from nazi evil. the red army bravely and resolutely led the defeat of the nazis on the eastern front and together with its allies freed europe from the nazi group. soviet troops liberated. it is my honour to invite his excellency mr vladimir

putin, president of the russian federation to deliver his remarks. applause classical music plays. translation: mr president, prime minister, colleagues, friends, ladies, gentlemen. we have gathered today at this international forum to honour the memory of the holocaust victims. it is our shared responsibility that has brought us together, the debt we owe to the past onto the future. we mourn for all the victims of the nazis, including 6 million jews. all the victims of the nazis, including 6 millionjews. burned to death in ghettos and concentration camps, atrociously slaughtered and

40% of them. citizens of the former soviet union. so for us the holocaust has also been for us a deep wound. it is a tragedy we shall never forget. before coming to jerusalem i read the authentic documents, the breaks from the offices of the red army after the liberation of auschwitz, i have to tell you, colleagues, it is very difficult to read these details speak in detail how this camp was organised as this machinery for the cold—blooded extermination of people was working and it is almost unbearable to read. many of them are handwritten by these soldiers and officers of the red army on the

second, third day of the liberation of the prisoners and these players give us a chance to feel the shock that they felt when they saw what was happening there. they witnessed things that made them feel pain, indignation and compassion. marshall, who was in charge of the military operation to take the areas of germany tried to save as many civilians as possible. 0nce of germany tried to save as many civilians as possible. once he was informed of the atrocities that were happening in auschwitz he forbade himself from having seen that concentration camp, subsequently he wrote in his memoirs that he did not have the right fortitude back then. he did not have the right to let the righteous feeling of vengeance behind him.

that would have brought about additional victims, the innocent people who lived in germany. we mark the 75th anniversary since the liberation of auschwitz, different people from different countries where experimented upon and exterminated in droves. it took the lives of hundreds of thousands of people including more than1 million jews. crimes perpetrated by nazis, they are carefully planned final solution to thejewish question, as they called it, he called it one of they called it, he called it one of the blackest, shameful pictures in world history. the death factories and concentration camps were

operated not just by and concentration camps were operated notjust by nazis but henchmen and accomplices and many european countries. it is where they operated and occupied territories of the soviet union that the biggest number ofjews were slaughtered, 1.4 millionjews were slaughtered. in lithuania, 220,000 millionjews were slaughtered. in lithuania, 220 , 000 people. millionjews were slaughtered. in lithuania, 220,000 people. that is 95% of the prewarjewish population of lithuania. latvia, 77,000 people. just several hundred latvian jews, of lithuania. latvia, 77,000 people. just several hundred latvianjews, a deliberate extermination of people and nazis had installed the same fate for many other nations. russians, bela russians, ukrainians, other nationalities were declared as

inferior people and their lands were supposed to become living space for nazis to provide them with a co mforta ble nazis to provide them with a comfortable existence whereas slavonic nations were condemned to be exterminated or reduced to having no voice of their own, culture or language. back then, 1945, the end to these barbaric plans was put first and foremost by the soviet nation, as brought freedom to the fatherland and freedom to europe. we paid a terrible price. we had to sacrifice 27 million people. that was the price of victory. the memory of the holocaust will only become a lesson and a warning if it is

comprehensive and integral with no cuts or omissions. the memory of war right now falls victim to often to political interests which is inadmissible. the duty of current politicians, political leaders and statesman is to protect the good name of fallen heroes and innocent people who fell victim to nazis and their henchmen. to do that, we need to use all opportunities and information, political and cultural, throughout the world. i'm confident that everyone attending the forum shares these concerns and is willing to stand together with russia to protect the truth and justice. we all bear responsibility to make sure that the terrible tragedies of the past war should never repeat

themselves. we have to make sure that future generations remember the horrors of the holocaust and concentration camps, the siege of leningrad, we have inaugurated a monument to honour the victims. we have to remember the villages burned to the ground, we have to be vigilant not to mess with the first sprouts of hatred, of chauvinism, of xenophobia and anti—semitism start to rear their ugly head. when we see surreptitious attempts and xenophobia or manifestations. the pass can bring about terrible consequences. we need to find the courage not just consequences. we need to find the courage notjust to speak consequences. we need to find the courage not just to speak about consequences. we need to find the courage notjust to speak about it directly but do everything in our power to protect piece. i believe that the founding members of the united nations should lead by example, the five nations incumbent

upon which have special responsibility to preserve civilisation. with some of our counterparts, we have discussed this and as faras counterparts, we have discussed this and as far as i understand, the attitude is positive. we suggest that a meeting should be held with the head of state and government of russia, china, the us, france and the uk to take place in any country where counterparts find it convenient. russia is willing to engage in a serious conversation and without further ado we are willing to send this address to the leaders of the un security council, the p5. we have many important issues at hand. 0ne we have many important issues at hand. one issue, libya, was discussed in berlin but we will have to get back to that at the united nations for resolution. but there are many other issues. holding such are many other issues. holding such a meeting in 2020 is going to be

emblematic as we will celebrate the 75th anniversary since the end of the second world war as well as the establishment of the united nations. the summit of nations that made the main contribution to row ting the aggressor, to building a post—war world. that could play an important world. that could play an important world in finding answers to the challenges of today and demonstrate oui’ challenges of today and demonstrate our common devotion to historical memory, to those lofty ideas and values. 0ur forefathers fought side by side. in conclusion, i would like to say thank you to our israeli collea g u es to say thank you to our israeli colleagues for the hospitable welcome here in jerusalem welcome here injerusalem and wish the participants of the conference and all citizens of israel peace and all the best. thank you very much. studio: vladimir putin. helen fry, listening to that, we thought that was a significant speech. his presence it is significant. that is

a huge step forward but what he was saying in that as well, wanting to bring the nations together with the p5 to look at the contemporary issues, political issues around anti—semitism. around anti—semitism and commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of world war ii and the founding of the united nations, i think this is really positive and if we can get those leaders together when he seems to be leading in suggesting that, it's a positive step forward and we have hope. it's been bleak recently with the rise of anti—semitism being so grim buti the rise of anti—semitism being so grim but i think we have hope. let's hear from the representative of the united states, vice president mike pence. president reuven rivlin, prime minister benjamin netanyahu, majesties, presidents, excellencies,

honoured survivors and distinguished guests, it is deeply humbling for me to stand before you today. on behalf of the american people. as we mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of auschwitz. 0n the 75th anniversary of the liberation of auschwitz. on this occasion, here on mount herzl, we gather to fulfil a solemn obligation, an obligation of remembrance, to never allow the memory of those who died in the holocaust to be forgotten by anyone anywhere in the world. the word "remember" appears no fewer than 169 times in the hebrew bible, for memory is the constant obligation of all generations and today, we pause

to remember what president donald trump rightly called the dark stain on human history. the greatest evil ever perpetuated by man against man in the long catalogue of human crime. the faces of 1.5 million children reduced to smoke under a silent sky for the crime of having a singlejewish silent sky for the crime of having a single jewish grandparent. it consumed the faith of so many then and challenges the faith of so many still. today we remember what happens when the powerless cry for help and the powerful refuse to

answer. the town's name was auschwitz as a plan to destroy their culture, the nazis gave the towns german names and this one they call auschwitz. when soldiers opened the gates of auschwitz on january seven, 1945, they found 7000 have staff, half naked prisoners, hundreds of boxes of camp records that documented the greatest mass murder in history. before the war was over, and it's in history. before the war was over, and its five years of existence, more than1.1 and its five years of existence, more than 1.1 million men, women and children perished at auschwitz. as

my wife and i can attest first—hand from this past year, one cannot walk the grounds of auschwitz without being overcome with emotion and grief. 0ne being overcome with emotion and grief. one cannot see the piles of shoes, the gas chambers, the crematorium, the loan boxcarfacing the gate to the camp and those grainy photographs of men, women and children being sent to their deaths without asking, how could the? —— they? today we grieve with those who grieve. we remember the names and

faces of the 6 millionjews who were murdered in the holocaust. today, we also pay tribute to those who survived, who all these years have seen survived, who all these years have seen witness to that evil and have served mankind by their example. today, we honour and remember the memory of all the allied forces including more than 2 million american soldiers who left home, suffered appalling casualties and freed a continent from the grip of tyranny. finally, we paid tribute to the memory of those non—religious—mac heroes who saved cou ntless

non—religious—mac heroes who saved countless lives —— heroes who were notjewish. in an age of indifference, they acted, in an age of fear, they showed courage. there memory and example should kindle a new flame of our hearts to do the same in ourtime. we must be prepared to stand as they did. againsta we must be prepared to stand as they did. against a wave of their times. we must be prepared to confront and expose the vile tide of anti—semitism that is fuelling height and violence all across the

world and we must stand