Communities form human peace wall at Belfast divide to mark Good Friday Agreement 25th anniversary

People from across Northern Ireland's divided communities have come together at one of the region's most notorious peace walls to mark the anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

Northumberland Street in west Belfast connects the predominantly Catholic and nationalist Falls Road with the mainly Protestant and unionist Shankill Road.

However, it remains divided 25 years after the historic peace accord with two sets of steel gates which are locked at night for security reasons.

On Friday lunch time the former no-man's land was filled with people forming a human chain across the gates.

Those attending included West Belfast MP Paul Maskey, Lord Mayor Tina Black and Alliance Party councillor Michael Long.

The event was organised by Pastor Jack McKee, whose New Life City Church stands between the two gates.

He said while the agreement has not been perfect, they wanted to mark the fact that the last 25 years were better than the previous 25 years.

"But the tragedy is that even during the past 25 years, there has not been a year gone by in Northern Ireland where someone has not died at the hands of paramilitaries or those connected to them," he said.

"As we're singing and praying today, our prayers are beyond this day and that we will see an end to the violence.

"While the peace agreement is not perfect, it's better than what it was, and our hope now is beyond today, that things will get even better, and the next 25 years will be even better for our children and our children's children."

Several other events have been taking place across the both Northern Ireland and the Republic to mark the anniversary.

Early on Friday morning, some victims of the Troubles gathered on a Co Down beach to watch the sunrise as they looked back on the deal that changed the region’s future and became a blueprint for resolving global conflicts.

Stormont political figures involved in the negotiations 25 years ago will gather for a commemorative event at Parliament Buildings.

The names of the nearly 3,600 people who died as a result of conflict in Northern Ireland between 1966 and 2019 were read out loud as part of a ceremony in Dublin.

The event at the Dublin Unitarian Church on St Stephen's Green started at midday and was due to end at approximately 3pm.

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