Holocaust Memorial Day in Newham will be marked with a service of remembrance and a competition for young people.

Theme for the international day of remembrance for victims of the Holocaust and genocides is ‘speak up, speak out’.

The creative writing and drawing competition is held for all Newham young people aged from seven to 19 years old. There are three categories of entry - seven to 11, 11 to 14, 14 to 19. Work can be any form of creative writing (of no more than 400 words) or a picture.

A winner from each category will receive a �30 book token with their work printed in the Newham Mag. Send submission to Newham Mag HMD, Newham Dockside, Fourth Floor, West Wing, 1000 Dockside Road, E16 2QU, Closing date for entries is January 20.

All residents are invited to a free event to mark the day at Newham Town Hall, East Ham on Friday January 27 between 10am and 12noon.

Mayor Sir Robin Wales said: “We must remember that Holocaust Memorial Day commemorates all victims of genocide worldwide. We must continue to educate future generations about the Holocaust and the relevance of the lessons that are learnt from it.

“We will promote a democratic and tolerant borough and nation, free of the evils of prejudice, racism and other forms of bigotry.”

“We hope to show the values of a tolerant and diverse society based upon the notions of universal dignity, equal rights and responsibilities for all its citizens.”