French President Francois Hollande said racism was still present in the world and that atrocities like those committed during World War Two could still occur, as he visited a Nazi concentration camp on Sunday.
"Evil has not disappeared, it has taken on new colours," said the French president on his visit to Natzweiler-Struthof in Alsace, the only Nazi concentration camp built on French soil.
"The worst can always happen, it is in knowing it that we can avoid it," he added. "We must not forget anything."
Marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the camp and the French National day of remembrance for victims of deportation, Mr Hollande was joined by other European leaders.
"I wanted that this ceremony of the plaques for the victims of this atrocity would be a European ceremony, because what happened here were horrible crimes, which occurred in Europe and were European deeds," said Mr Hollande.
An estimated 50,000 inmates were held at the camp, including Jews and French resistance fighters, which was also the site of one of the Nazi’s first gas chambers.
"Evil has not disappeared, it has taken on new colours," said the French president on his visit to Natzweiler-Struthof in Alsace, the only Nazi concentration camp built on French soil.
"The worst can always happen, it is in knowing it that we can avoid it," he added. "We must not forget anything."
Marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the camp and the French National day of remembrance for victims of deportation, Mr Hollande was joined by other European leaders.
"I wanted that this ceremony of the plaques for the victims of this atrocity would be a European ceremony, because what happened here were horrible crimes, which occurred in Europe and were European deeds," said Mr Hollande.
An estimated 50,000 inmates were held at the camp, including Jews and French resistance fighters, which was also the site of one of the Nazi’s first gas chambers.