The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, has praised the people of Omagh, who, he said, had shown immense courage and leadership in their response to the tragedy which befell the town a year ago. The Nobel Peace laureate received a standing ovation following a keynote address to 200 delegates attending an international summer school based on the theme Regeneration - Renewal and Beyond, which began in the town yesterday.
Mr Hume said the time had come to leave the lessons of the past behind in order that people could respect one another's differences as they strove to build a new society.
"There is absolutely no doubt that the people of Omagh have given an outstanding example, particularly given the terrible tragedy they have gone through. They want to leave the terrible conflict of our past behind them and the terrible price that the people of Northern Ireland have had to pay for that conflict. The way to do that is to put into practice the principles that go to the heart of the Good Friday agreement."
Among those principles, he said, was total respect for different cultures, whether it be race, religion or nationality, which should never be a source of hatred or conflict.
"Peace should create institutions which respect our differences. One of these institutions, which is now in place, is the Assembly. With representatives of all sections of our people, it is our duty now to implement our second main institution, the executive. Only then will we be able to move to our third principle of peace, which is the most important.
"We will start working together in our common interests and build a trust, while at the same time breaking down the barriers of distrust. In so doing, we will harness the massive international goodwill and translate it into real economic benefits for all sections of our community."