The ‘pre-negotiation’ phase of the Haass/O’Sullivan talks has now concluded. Richard Haass and Meghan O’Sullivan met with representatives of the five Executive parties in Belfast last week and will return in December to resume an intensive period of negotiations. In the last week both Sinn Fein and the Labour Party published their submissions on dealing with flags, parades and the past.

The Labour Party proposals contained the idea that consideration should be given to the creation of a specific Bank Holiday to celebrate the achievements of the peace process. This would focus on events and activities which celebrate political, societal, and economic progress and showcase positive examples of reconciliation. It said maximum possible consensus should be sought to identify a date which would be agreeable to all communities.

The idea of such a day isn’t new. The cross-community group Healing Through Remembering (HTR) initiated a Day of Reflection in 2007 which was offered as an inclusive and positive event that emphasised a commitment to a peaceful new society. HTR, alongside other groups and individuals, have marked the Day on the 21 June every year since.

The date was chosen after research highlighted that there is no single date in the calendar year which is not the anniversary of the death of at least one person in relation to the conflict.

It was felt that the 21 June, the summer solstice and longest day of the year, was a symbolically important day. The hours of light and dark can be seen as a symbol of the hope and pain in our society.

The purpose of the Day is to offer an opportunity for us all to acknowledge the deep hurt and pain caused by the conflict, to reflect on our own attitudes, on what more we might have done or might still do, and to make a personal commitment that such loss should never be allowed to happen again.

HTR acknowledge that some people do not need any encouragement to remember; they carry with them every day the memories of loss or pain from the conflict. There are already well-established events and occasions which are focused specifically on remembrance and the Day of Reflection is in no way an attempt to replace or duplicate other traditional or personal acts of remembrance.

The word ‘reflection’ was chosen by HTR because there is a need for all of society to not only remember those who have been lost and injured by the conflict, but also to reflect on the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of what happened as well as our own attitudes and actions.

The Report of the Consultative Group on the Past in 2009 said that full support should be given by government, the private and voluntary sector, including the churches, to the continuation of the Day of Reflection and that consideration should be given to renaming the event a Day of Reflection and Reconciliation.

It went on to state that each year, on or around the Day of Reflection and Reconciliation, the First and deputy First Ministers should together make a keynote address to the Northern Ireland Assembly and invited guests, reflecting on the past in a positive way and confirming their commitment to lead Northern Ireland society towards a shared and reconciled future.

I have been involved with HTR since 2008 and have helped promote the Day of Reflection from 2009. I believe it offers an opportunity for everyone in this society and other societies to learn about and learn from the conflict. To reflect on what happened, why it happened and why it should never happen again.

If the various political representatives believe that a day of this kind would benefit society in dealing with the legacy of the past then there are a number of questions they should consider before the final negotiation stages;

Who is the Day for and what will it aim to achieve? The Day will have added significance to victims and survivors and it should be acknowledged that the inclusion of ‘perpetrators’ has the potential to make the Day difficult for ‘victims.’ However if we are to learn from the past and move forward together as a society then the Day should be inclusive of everyone. This will include children and young people as they are the generation that has to both confirm and build the peace.

What date would be chosen? As has been mentioned there is no single date that is not the anniversary of the death of at least one person in relation to the conflict. So whatever date is chosen will have added significance to some in our society and they should be involved in the process and given all the support they require.

Will it be a public holiday? There are a diverse range of views on whether a specific Day should or needs to be marked and therefore not everyone can or will feel able to participate. Many will feel that remembering and reflecting are voluntary acts and these points should be considered and addressed before a public holiday is decided upon.

Should the word reconciliation be used? The term can be off putting for many as it implies a relationship with a perceived perpetrator. It is viewed by some to be a religious term and therefore is not inclusive. It also means too many different things to too many different people which can be unhelpful.

Taking these points into consideration the representatives engaged in the Haass/O’Sullivan process should look closely at the Day of Reflection and its principles and values as a model of how any such Day could function.