North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) is set to host an online event to mark Holocaust Memorial Day later this month.

NHDC will seek to encourage remembrance of the six million Jews who lost their lives during the Second World War, as well as millions of others who lost their lives due to Nazi persecution.

The day also remembers those who died in genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

This year's theme is 'Be the light in the darkness' which encourages everyone to reflect and learn about other cultures, community cohesion and appreciating the diversity of people's different backgrounds and circumstances.

The event, on Wednesday, January 27 11am, will be streamed live on the council's YouTube channel from 11am.

It will open with a prayer from Rabbi Alan Garber of the Shenley United Synagogue and individuals from different faiths will speak, reflecting on what the day means to their religion.

There will be stories from Jewish families who settled in Letchworth Garden City before and after the Second World War, and a video interview of Ivor Perl, a Holocaust survivor who was sent to the Auschwitz death camp aged 12.

NHDC recently held a competition inviting secondary school pupils to take part in a creative writing competition to write about what being a light in the darkness means to them and the winning entries will be read at the event.

A competition was also held inviting primary school children to create a poster around the light in the darkness theme.

Holocaust Memorial Day is held annually on 27 January, a date which marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.

Councillor Judi Billing, NHDC's Executive Member for Community Engagement said: "It is important that we not only remember those who tragically lost their lives and suffered immeasurably during these inhuman atrocities, but that we also look to the light and hear stories of the kindness in humanity, where people pulled together to help each other during those awful times.

"We must never forget these crimes and must learn from them, to help ensure they never happen again."

The Holocaust Memorial Day event can be viewed on the NHDC YouTube channel at 11am on the 27 January here