SDLP LEADER Margaret Ritchie has become the first nationalist party leader to attend a remembrance ceremony in Northern Ireland and wear the traditional poppy.
Her appearance at the ceremony in Downpatrick has been warmly welcomed by the Ulster Unionist Party.
Her party colleague and Belfast Lord Mayor Pat Convery also attended the main ceremony in Northern Ireland at the cenotaph at Belfast City Hall.
Northern Secretary Owen Paterson and Queen Elizabeth’s representative Dame Mary Peters stood alongside the lord mayor for the short service and two-minute silence.
PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott also laid a wreath.
“If we talk about sharing this island, we have to remember those people who died in conflicts across the world were from the whole island of Ireland, not just a small section of that island,” Mr Convery said.
Sinn Féin Assembly member Alex Maskey attended a service of remembrance for the Battle of the Somme when he was mayor of Belfast in July 2002.
Ulster Unionist deputy leader and South Down Assembly member John McCallister praised the SDLP leader for her decision to mark the occasion. He said her attendance was “a significant contribution to building a shared future in Northern Ireland”.
“The symbol of the poppy and the events of Remembrance Day recall the tremendous sacrifices made by servicemen and women from all sections of our community. It also recognises that people from all parts of Ireland bravely served in two World Wars.
“Our work to build peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland today is only possible because of the sacrifices made by those who paid the supreme sacrifice in the World Wars and our own Troubles,” he said.
“Margaret also has rightly recognised that – in common with communities right across Northern Ireland – families from South Down have loved ones presently serving in Afghanistan. Standing alongside these families at this time should be a privilege for all elected representatives.”