Former SDLP leader John Hume last night praised Apprentice Boys and nationalist residents in Derry after Saturday's parade in the city passed off peacefully with only minor disturbances.
Up to 15,000 Apprentice Boys and bandsmen took part in the annual Siege of Derry parade in the city.
Discussions between Apprentice Boys and nationalists ensured that there was only comparatively minor violence before and after the parade.
Several cars and a lorry were set alight in the nationalist Bogside area of the city on Friday night with police making two arrests.
While nationalist and loyalist youths traded insults as the parade made its way along Bond Street in the city centre there was no physical confrontation.
As the parade passed through the Diamond area of the city centre nationalist residents unfurled a banner from the roof of the Richmond shopping centre calling for the segregation of republican and loyalist prisoners in Maghaberry prison.
After a small parade in the loyalist Fountain Estate the Apprentice Boys completed a walk of Derry's walls.
Former Civil Rights founder Ivan Cooper, and former SDLP leader John Hume, who were observing the parade, were acknowledged by a number of Apprentice Boys taking part in the march.
Praising the dialogue between nationalist residents and Apprentice Boys, Mr Hume said: "I believe that the approach taken by the people of Derry has once again underlined their total respect for the civil rights of all sections of the community which they campaigned for 30 years ago.
"They (nationalist residents) have respected the civil right of the Apprentice Boys to march in Derry, but they also recognise that for every right to march there corresponds a duty to exercise that right responsibly and the Apprentice Boys have done that.
"There is a clear message there for marches in other areas of Northern Ireland and naturally I would hope that the essential dialogue which took place in Derry would happen in other areas," he added.
"It is right and proper that we create a society in which Catholic, Protestant and dissenter are fully respected."
He said he hoped that next year the city centre shops would open during the event to further improve the atmosphere.
Apprentice Boys governor, William Allen, said he was disappointed that a number of incidents had marred an otherwise peaceful parade.
"There will always be trouble, it does not matter how many parades you have, there will always be someone who will come along to cause disruption. It is something you accept," he said.
Chief Superintendent Dawson Cotton praised the behaviour of nationalist residents and Apprentice Boys who he said had contributed to the most trouble-free parade in recent years.
"There were a small number of individuals on both sides who sought to provoke a reaction, but the vast majority quietly and wisely ignored them and got on with the business of enjoying the day out," he said.
Earlier a number of feeder parades in Belfast, taking place ahead of Saturday's main demonstration in Derry, passed off without incident.
Nationalist residents had held a protest at Ardoyne shops in north Belfast as Apprentice Boys marched along the Crumlin Road on their way to Derry, but there was no trouble.
Sinn Féin criticised the Parades Commission's decision to allow the Apprentice Boys to march past the Ardoyne and Mountainview areas.
Police made a total of seven arrests in relation to Saturday's parade. Five people were arrested for alleged minor public order offences.
A 16-year-old youth and a 20-year-old man were arrested in connection with an incident at Rossville Street in the Bogside during which an articulated lorry was set alight. Both are expected to appear at Derry's magistrates court this morning.
In a separate incident a 19-year-old man was arrested for provocative conduct and is expected to appear in court on September 1.
Two men were arrested in the Clooney Terrace area of the Waterside for alleged public order offences. One man was later released, while the other was charged with disorderly behaviour, assault on police and resisting arrest. He is expected to appear in court on September 1.
In a separate incident two men were arrested in the Glendermot Road area of the Waterside. It is understood that one man was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault and the other for disorderly behaviour.
