OPINION: Why I am laying a white wreath this Remembrance Sunday

When I asked to take part by council in my role as Deputy Mayor, I gave it serious thought. I said yes because I believe in peace. Not simply as a nice sentiment or an aspiration to be spoken about, but as a principle that should guide our politics, our decisions and our relationships with one another.

For me, remembering those who have died in war must never mean celebrating war itself. There is nothing glorious about death, destruction, bereavement or the devastation that conflict leaves behind. Behind every casualty is a human being, a family and a community whose lives are changed forever.

I am a proud member of the SDLP. My political values are rooted in equality, justice, self-determination and the peaceful pursuit of political change. I believe passionately that disputes must be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy and democratic means, not through violence. Those convictions are not at odds with laying a wreath on Remembrance Sunday. Indeed, they are precisely why I am doing so.

Derry is a city that understands the terrible price of conflict. The pain inflicted here has endured for generations. We know the importance of remembering, but that must inspire us to build a future in which no family has to endure the loss of a loved one through violence.

My white wreath is a symbol of peace. It is a statement that every human life has equal worth and that no nationality, uniform, religion or political allegiance makes one person’s suffering more deserving of compassion than another’s.

I do not believe that remembrance should be selective, nor should compassion be constrained by political identity. We can acknowledge the suffering of those who served and died in war while maintaining a clear and unwavering opposition to war itself.

We can remember without glorifying. We can show respect without abandoning our principles.

And that commitment to peace must extend beyond remembrance ceremonies and beyond our own shores. We cannot speak about the value of human life at home while ignoring the suffering of others.

The ongoing devastation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, demands our attention and our voices. I believe we must be unequivocal in calling for an end to the genocide of the Palestinian people, an end to the killing and displacement of civilians, and an end to the destruction of lives and communities. The international community cannot simply look away. There must be meaningful action to protect Palestinian lives, uphold international law and ensure accountability.

Nobody should claim to stand for peace in Derry and remain silent about the suffering of people in Palestine.

Human rights cannot be selective, and the value of a human life cannot depend on where someone is born.

For me, the greatest tribute to those who have lost their lives in war would be a world where fewer lives are lost to war. Where leaders choose diplomacy over aggression, dialogue over division and humanity over hatred.

I will lay my white wreath this Sunday as an Irish nationalist, as a representative of Derry and, above all, as someone who believes that peace must always be our greatest ambition.

Remembering the dead should strengthen our determination to protect the living.