WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) — Thousands gathered at a candlelight vigil at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial to mark the anniversary of the civil rights leader’s assassination 44 years ago.

Speakers included Harry Johnson, president of the foundation that built the memorial, and Arun Manilal Gandhi, a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.

When asked whether the world needed more leaders like Dr. King or his grandfather, Arun Gandhi gave an answer befitting his family legacy.

“No,” he replied. “We just need to relearn the lessons they taught us.”

The King Memorial was completed last year after decades of work to build it among Washington’s monuments to presidents.

Organizers have said April is a prime time to visit the memorial because it’s surrounded by dozens of cherry trees that will bloom each year around the time of King’s assassination. The memorial is located between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials on the Tidal Basin.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)