Thousands of people are expected to descend on Derry next month for the national H Block Hunger Strike rally.
It was revealed this week that the annual event is to be held in the city - marking the first occasion the it has taken place outside Belfast.
Former Derry hunger striker, Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney, has urged as many people as possible to at
tend the event on Sunday, August 17.
“The march and rally is one of the largest such gatherings in Ireland, with perhaps only the Bloody Sunday march attracting similar numbers on a consistent basis.
“We will be urging everyone to bring with them their family members, those who were too young at the time, or not even born, so that they will by this experience come to understand why we were on the streets at that time. Bring them to witness and enjoy living history,” he said.
Each year the rally attracts thousands of people from as far away as Scotland, England, Europe and North America .
Mr McCartney said it was with a “sense of pride and determination” that the Derry 1981 Committee would prepare for the event.
He added: “The focus of the event is to pay tribute and celebrate the lives and sacrifices of the ten men who died on Hunger Strike in 1981.”
The theme of this year’s march will be ‘Civil Rights, Equality, Freedom, The Struggle Continues’.
Mr McCartney added: “The 1981 Committee is inviting all of those in Derry, who attended any event in that period, to return to our streets in celebration of that contribution.”
A full programme of events will be organised for the weekend of the August 15-17 including charity football matches, tours, youth events and several functions.
