Turkey's observance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day began with a broadcast of a French documentary on the Holocaust on state run television.

Filmmaker Claude Lanzmann's “Shoah” was shown late Thursday, on the eve of the observance.

Lanzmann says the broadcast marked the first time a predominantly Muslim country has shown his 1985 biographical film of the Holocaust era.

The nine-hour film was aired to help build understanding between Muslims and Jews and combating denials that the Holocaust occurred.

In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution, designating January 27th as a day members countries would honor victims of the Holocaust.