Delegation joins First World War events hosted by Flemish Parliament

Following an invitation from the Speaker of the Flemish Parliament, a delegation from the Northern Ireland Assembly will join with others from all the Parliaments and Assemblies in the UK and Ireland, for a two day programme of events on 16 and 17 October to mark the centenary of the First World War.

The Principal Deputy Speaker, Mitchel McLaughlin MLA will lead the Assembly delegation and will be joined by MLAs Anna Lo and Peter Weir. Delegations from Westminster, the Houses of the Oireachtas, the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament will also be attending.

The Principal Deputy Speaker, Mitchel McLaughlin MLA said: "There have been many events and initiatives held this year to mark the centenary of the First World War, including some at Parliament Buildings. Marking the First World War should rightly be done with sombre reflection. I therefore appreciate the spirit of the invitation from Jan Peumans, Speaker of the Flemish Parliament, in recognition of the sacrifice given by thousands of young British and Irish men and women.

"The events of 1914 to 1918 did coincide with a turbulent period in British and Irish politics. It is important that we should recognise and contemplate on the fact that young men and women served side by side in common cause on the battlefields of the Somme, Messine and Ypres, despite holding divergent views on the debate being held back home about the political future of Ireland. It is therefore entirely fitting that a cross party delegation from the Assembly is joining delegations from the other Parliaments and Assemblies in the UK and Ireland with elected representatives from Flanders to commemorate the First World War."

The delegations will attend a range of events across Flanders including those hosted by the Speaker of the Flemish Parliament, the Lord Mayor of Bruges, the Governor of the Province of West-Flanders, the Lord Mayor of Zonnebeke and the Lord Mayor of Ypres.