A clean-up project removing sectarian graffiti and symbols from the notorious Lower Shankill Road in Belfast has been described as "one of the most important environmental projects in years".
Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Mr Alan Woods said the project, which involved schools, community groups and the city council, had broken down community barriers and brought a sense of "normality to what was generally regarded as a no-go area".
Over four miles of loyalist kerbstone paint, 27 murals, and flags and bunting were removed - and none has re-emerged.
The project, which stared in 2002 and is ongoing, has now been shortlisted for Britain's most prestigious environmental competition, the People & Places "Award for Partnership".
"Some people might think that clearing up graffiti or litter is trivial compared to tackling hatred and the root causes of violent crime but when people work together to achieve a clean environment, it breaks down barriers and gives them a sense that the neighbourhood is theirs again," Mr Woods said.
The main clean-up took place last July and according to Belfast City Council Operations Manager of Street Cleansing, Mr Jim Ferguson, involved people of all ages from the community as well as over one hundred young Christians from all over the world who were visiting the city at the time.
Mr Ferguson said the area has remained clear of sectarian symbols since and its image both locally and for visitors "has changed for the better".
"The sustainability is the important thing ... There was a window of opportunity because the local community agreed these symbols should be removed. But it is also a window of hope that is symbolic of Northern Ireland's future," he said.
Belfast is also shortlisted for a separate People and Places award after a £1 million clean-up of the city, which involved placing bins with ashtrays to curb cigarette litter and fining people over £1,000 for dropping rubbish.
The awards will be made at a ceremony in Edinburgh on March 9th.