Demonstrations were expected to be held across Northern Ireland next week to express revulsion at the murder of Catholic teenager Gerard Lawlor.
The trade union movement called on the Belfast City Council to show leadership in the fight against sectarianism by arranging a demonstration on Friday and urging district councils across the North to follow suit.
Speaking after a meeting of political, civic and religious leaders in Belfast City Hall tonight, Sinn Fein Lord Mayor Mr Alex Maskey said the Council would set up a working group to help combat sectarianism.
He said: "I have no doubt that working together in a planned way, in a long-term way, that we can actually tackle this very serious scourge of sectarianism."
The meeting was attended by trade union representatives, members of all the main churches, community workers and members of some of the parties of Belfast City Council.
Mr Maskey met with Northern Ireland Security Minister Ms Jane Kennedy yesterday and is due to travel to Dublin tomorrow to meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Brian Cowen. Mr David Irvine of the PUP was the only Unionist political representative at the meeting, but he remained hopeful that a council-led anti-sectarian strategy could succeed. "It is better to have a meeting than have no meeting," he said. "I think the council have to accept that we need to play a lead role in fighting sectarianism as do other levels of government. It won't go away on its own."
PA