Future war commemorations in Belfast could include an Irish army band and representatives from the German and Italian governments if new proposals are accepted by Belfast City Council.
A new report, commissioned by the council into how city hall commemorates its war dead recommends that representatives from the German and Italian governments and an Irish army band should be invited to take part in future Somme commemorations at the city cenotaph.
The report, 'World War Commemorations at Belfast City Hall', was written by Ulster Museum historian Jane Leonard.
She interviewed all of the political parties, senior council officers and religious leaders for the report which is now being studied by the council.
In what is regarded as a major change in the traditional nationalist opposition to cenotaph commemorations, the report quotes a Sinn Féin councillor admitting that "a dam has burst inside the Catholic community in terms of trying to rediscover links to the war".
Both Sinn Féin and the SDLP believed that a band from the Irish army should be invited to take part in future Somme commemorations and that the Tricolour should be flown alongside the Union flag at the cenotaph.
The report further suggests that a council resolution praising the 36th Ulster Division, which was made up of members of the UVF, is extended to include the 16th Irish (Division), which was drawn mainly from the nationalist community.
It is also recommended that the council should buy a painting or sculpture to commemorate the 16th Irish Division to go alongside existing memorials to the 36th Division already in City Hall.
However the proposals, which are designed to make the city's war commemoration more inclusive, have already caused controversy with the DUP objecting to any "former enemies" being invited to take part in events.
One DUP councillor claimed that the "logical" extension of inviting a German representative to participate in events, "would be to have IRA at the ceremonies".
When it was suggested that the event was widened to include non-Christian faiths, an unnamed DUP councillor foresaw "possible tensions" if representatives of the Muslim or Sikh community were invited to attend, citing sensitivities surrounding the Iraq war.
The DUP further insisted that Sinn Féin should have to apologise for "its wartime support of Hitler" before any republican commemoration of the world wars would be seen as credible.
