The contribution is primarily funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The decision was announced, Thursday, during a meeting at the Jewish Museum in London, which was attended by Foreign Secretary William Hague, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, Sir Andrew Burns, UK Envoy for post-Holocaust issues, Lord Greville Janner of Braunstone, Chairman of the Holocaust Educational Trust, as well as the Polish Ambassador Barbara Tuge-Erecinska.
In his remarks Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, “Auschwitz-Birkenau is an important place of remembrance. It is vital that we do not forget it. Just as we collect and preserve the stories of eyewitnesses, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that Auschwitz-Birkenau stands as a perpetual reminder of the pain and destructive force of hate. We must ensure that the lessons from the Holocaust are taught today and to future generations.”
Foreign Secretary William Hague described Auschwitz-Birkenau as a symbol of the horrors of the Holocaust and a warning of what can happen when hatred is allowed to flourish. He said that “the preservation of the camp will enable us to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive for future generations”.
Foreign secretary Hague said he was proud, “that the UK is able to play a part in commemorating millions of victims who died there”.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, which was established in January 2009, hopes to create a Perpetuity Fund of 120 million euros by 2015 to ensure the consolidation, restoration and long-term maintenance of the camp site.
And Lord Greville Janner of Braunstone, who chairs the Holocaust Educational Trust, said the financial support sends a clear message that the camp should be maintained for future generations.
He said: "Through our Lessons from Auschwitz Project, the Holocaust Educational Trust gives over 3,000 British students each year the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau.
"This announcement will ensure that when young people visit Auschwitz, they will see for themselves what can happen when racism and prejudice is allowed to go unchecked."
Several countries have already pledged to contribute 80 million euros, the most sizeable contribution (60 million euros) having been offered by Germany.
The site of the Auschwitz camp extends over an area of almost 200 hectares and comprises 155 buildings, most which are badly in need of repair. The conservation projects are also to cover the camp’s archives, documents and objects in the museum collection.
Over 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, perished at Auschwitz during WW II Nazi occupation. (mk/kk/pg)