‘One City, One Voice’ Sing for Peace Rally to be staged in Derry

The ‘One City, One Voice’ event will take place in Guildhall Square on Wednesday, May 1 from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

The organisers of the event told the ‘Journal’ that they wanted as many people as possible to take up the opportunity of presenting “one city, one voice” for peace.

The Sing for Peace Rally organisers said the event has been developed in the wake of the tragic events that unfolded in Derry recently.

Journalist Lyra McKee was shot and killed when a gunman opened fire during a night of rioting in Creggan on Thursday of last week.

The 29-year-old Belfast woman, who had made Derry her home, had been among a group of innocent bystanders when the New IRA attack claimed her life.

Since Lyra’s murder, calls have been growing louder for politicians to end the political vacuum in Northern Ireland and re-enter talks following two years of stagnation at Stormont.

The organiser of Sing For Peace said: “We are all shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic death of a young woman who embodied all that was good about the peace process. Her death has made us realise just how fragile the peace process has become.

“Our communities have become fragmented and divisions have deepened.

“Everybody there will be able to join in as one community and the invite is extended to local choirs, schools and everyone who wants to come along and show their support.”

She added: “We remember that we are One City, we are One community, One people. One voice.”

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

Meanwhile, a team of people in Derry have released a newly completed music video for a rap rendition of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s ‘Give Peace A Chance’ following Lyra’s murder.

The cross-community musical project was the brainchild of Strabane native Joshua Clarke and features Waterside rap artiste, Gary Martin, who penned his own lyrics for their version of the world-famous peace anthem.

With the help of Victoria Temple, a cross-section of local people responded to an online call out and volunteered to form part of the chorus for the song, which was filmed beside the Peace Bridge and on the City Walls.

The Derry version was originally recorded last year, but the events of the past few days have spurred Joshua on to complete a full video and release the song online.

Joshua said: “We tried to get as many people from different backgrounds as possible involved. 

“There has been a great response and it is good to see other people that agree with us. 

“A minority of people want this violence, a majority want peace and want people to get along.”

To view the video check out #GivePeaceAChance on Facebook.