ATHENS, Greece 

Leaders from around the globe gathered on Monday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi concentration camp that symbolizes one of history’s greatest atrocities.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain’s King Charles III, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Polish President Andrzej Duda were among the prominent figures attending the solemn ceremony held at the site in southern Poland.

King Charles III stressed the importance of confronting the horrors of the past. “The act of remembering the evils of the past remains a vital task, and in so doing, we inform our present and shape our future here in Krakow,” he said.

Polish President Duda reaffirmed his country’s commitment to preserving Auschwitz as a living memory. “Poland is committed to looking after these sites so that memories are not forgotten … so that the world never again allows such a dramatic catastrophe of humanity to happen,” he said.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called on current generations to continue passing on the lessons of Auschwitz, describing the camp as a symbol of “the monstrosity of an unprecedented crime against humanity.”

Adding a personal dimension to the ceremony, 99-year-old Auschwitz survivor Leon Weintraub shared his testimony and warned of the resurgence of far-right ideologies. His words resonated deeply, highlighting the ongoing relevance of remembering history’s darkest moments.

In 2005, UN General Assembly established Jan. 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp by Soviet troops in 1944, to commemorate the millions of victims of the Germany's Nazi regime.​​​​​​​