Intensive efforts to find a solution to the Ardoyne dispute continued last night as the turbulent first week of term came to a relatively peaceful close.
Protestant protesters turned their backs during a silent protest yesterday as over 200 Catholic parents and children walked to school.
In the playground of Holy Cross School, Father Aidan Troy school joined in prayer with a Presbyterian minister, the Rev Norman Hamilton, before parents returned along the route.
There were hopes for a resolution last night with the announcement of an initiative to promote dialogue and tackle local housing, education, health and sectarian problems.
The Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid, who returned early from holiday this week, yesterday met the acting First Minister, Sir Reg Empey, and the Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, in advance of a joint statement on the plan.
Dr Reid said it was necessary to protect the children's right to education and to show residents other mechanisms existed to address their grievances. He met Protestant residents last night and members of the school's board of governor's on Thursday.
Earlier, loyalists gathered in Glenbryn and Pastor Billy McCourt, a former loyalist paramilitary, conducted a service in memory of 16-year-old Thomas McDonald, who died following an incident in another interface area of north Belfast on Tuesday.
Mr Jim Potts, a spokesman for the residents, said the silent protest was for the bereaved family. "There will be no whistle-blowing and shouting," he added, "but we still have a right to protest."
Father Troy said parents had worn dark clothing as a "gesture" to residents and held a minute's silence before walking through the barrier into Glenbryn.
"It struck me when I woke this morning - this is Friday and I hope it's going to be a good Friday and I think it has been a good Friday," said Father Troy.
Rev Hamilton told one mother the gesture was "deeply appreciated" by the residents. "It's one step on the road to getting a solution to this," he said.
Mr Alban Maginness, SDLP Assembly member for the area, urged both sides not to squander the opportunity to resolve the dispute.
The Democratic Unionist MP, Mr Nigel Dodds, said he welcomed the day's events. "I believe that the work going on in the background is bearing fruit," he said. "Nothing should be done to derail this or make it more difficult."
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, called for an end to the residents' protest but stressed that republicans should also reach out to their Protestant neighbours, who claim harassment by nationalists.