When Arlene Foster took on the role of First Minister for Northern Ireland in January, in this year of emotive unionist, nationalist and republican-centred centenaries – not to mention a year of Assembly elections – predictions as to how she might approach events of commemoration were mixed.

When asked by the BBC even before she became First Minister whether she intended to attend commemorations to mark the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, she answered no: the rebellion “gave succour to violent republicanism”.

Reactions to this ranged from acceptance to disappointment to fierce criticism. Some claimed Foster to be politically immature, not ready to represent all of the people of Northern Ireland.

Surely the DUP leader’s response should not have come as a surprise. Anyway, what headlines failed to highlight was Foster’s admission that she would attend and participate in mature and appropriate discussions surrounding the Rising. And, actually, listening, engaging and actively learning of events and people involved in such events can be more enlightening and productive than turning up for the sake of symbolism.

A unionist can be forgiven for perceiving the commemoration of the Easter Rising as somewhat problematic. As a rebellion against the British state and rule in Ireland, back then instigated at a time of World War and since held up as an inspiration for continued violence, the cause wholly contradicts the very crux of unionism.

Decades later, during the Troubles Arlene Foster experienced republican violence at first hand; as a child when a bomb exploded under her school bus, and when the IRA tried to kill her father, a part-time policeman with the then RUC. On a personal level for Foster, then, one can imagine that the prospect of commemorating the Rising comes with additional complexities.

This is not to in any way diminish efforts made by nationalists and republicans to acknowledge, respect and understand the role, culture and contributions of unionism, British symbols and events to Ireland’s history and contemporary society. Analysis of both would require an entirely different blog post.

This week Foster attended an Easter 1916 discussion in Dublin, coordinated by the Church of Ireland, alongside some of the island’s most respected historians. Topics of conversation included Dublin at the time of the Rising, the rebellion’s purpose, and ordinary people caught up in the extraordinary circumstances.

In this decade of centenaries, and time of continued global uncertainty, perhaps similarly-toned discussions on the wider geo-political context of the period – of war, upheaval and revolution elsewhere – surrounding the Rising and other pivotal moments of our not-so-shared history might be worthwhile.

Back at Stormont, recent comments made by Foster that she is willing to put the past aside to work with deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness show she is making a concerted effort to work on behalf of all of the people of Northern Ireland.

One hundred years after 1916 and nearly 20 since the Good Friday Agreement, we understand there can be no quick reconciliation of contested histories, nor will contentious issues of the Troubles be solved with symbolic gestures.

Judgements will continue to be made of Foster’s approach to the Rising and subsequent centenaries; if she has taught us one thing this week it is that we all have a story to tell.

The First Minister’s own personal account reminds us to never underestimate the power of engagement, and reconciliation is always possible.