The Good Friday Agreement is a reminder that peace grows and is nurtured through commitment, according to former President of Ireland Mary McAleese.
Speaking ahead of a special Holy Thursday Service, Mrs McAleese said the decision for peace 25 years ago was a recommitment "every day thereafter".
The former president joined representatives of different faiths, victims of violence and bereaved family members whose lives were impacted by the Troubles for the pre-recorded service.
The sister of journalist Lyra McKee spoke about what peace meant to her.
On Holy Thursday night four years ago, Nichola Corner's youngest sister was shot dead by dissident republicans as the 29-year-old observed a riot in Derry.
Lyra became the 160th conflict-related death since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
Ms Corner said while their family's peace ended that night, they did not give up on it.
"Together, we walked for it, we used all means available to us to try to contribute to it in our land, because we knew – just like the 159 other families who had lost their loved ones to senseless violence since the agreement, the thousands of families who had suffered the same in the preceding 30 years, all those injured and those destroyed through trauma – the alternative was unthinkable."
Ms Corner said while people cannot be expected to sweep their troubled past under the carpet and pretend it did not happen because it makes some people uncomfortable, she said they cannot remain "shackled to it".
"We must stare the past in the face, in all of its ugliness, learning the lessons it has to teach us and working collectively to ensure that it never happens again, so that, together, we can rise from the ashes of its ruins," she said.
Former RUC Officer David Williamson, who is now a Dublin based Pastor, experienced three bomb explosions during the Troubles.
Those explosions shaped his life due to injuries, trauma, depression and at times, thoughts of suicide.
Through his relationship with God, he said he was able to create an understanding of forgiveness and peace.
"It's one of the best things I can do," he said.
Bridie McGoldrick also used prayer and forgiveness following the death of her child.
Bridie's only son Michael, who was a Catholic part-time taxi driver, was killed by loyalists two days after receiving his degree from Mary McAleese at Queen's University.
Bridie and her late husband, Michael Sr, publicly forgave and prayed for the killers afterwards.
Alan McBride is the widower of Sharon McBride who was killed in 1993 by an IRA bomb in their family fish shop highlighted the fragility of peace.
He recalled the euphoria that followed the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and the referendum that saw it endorsed by most citizens on both sides of the Island.
"I stood amazed as the country started to demilitarise and politicians who had been life-long enemies started to work together for the betterment of all."
However, he said while the gun had been removed from Northern Irish politics, "I don't think we have arrived at a place yet where we can honestly say that 'peace is a way of life'."
He said peace was the reversal of behaviours learned during the war years and the development of new behaviours.
"We are not there yet, as it's only then that the vision of the Good Friday Agreement will be fully realised and peace become a way of life," he said.
Briege Voyle is the daughter of Joan Connolly, an innocent mother-of-eight who was killed by British paratroopers in 1971, in what is known as the Ballymurphy Massacre.
She said: "As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, we are thankful that it gave us families the space to openly investigate the massacre which, before then, had remained hidden. It also brought about the mechanisms that allowed us seek out truth and to hold those to account for what they did."
Joan Connolly was a devout Catholic and her daughter Briege pointed out that she was taught from a young age to "love one another, as I have loved you".
"It's easy preaching to the converted but what is more difficult is reaching out to those who hold different beliefs, views and opinions and realising we have more that unites us than divides us. An injustice for one is an injustice for all. I want to take this opportunity to remember our loved ones, everyone in our community, and beyond, who has died in violent circumstances, and those who mourn their loss."
Other participants in the service include Fr Martin Magill, who is Parish Priest of St John's Roman Catholic parish in West Belfast.
It also includes Rev Harold Good, former president of the Methodist Church in Ireland who oversaw weapons de-commissioning with Fr Alec Reid.
Bishop Trevor Williams, who is a retired Church of Ireland Bishop of Limerick and formerly Leader of the Corrymeela Centre for Peace & Reconciliation at the time of the Good Friday Agreement, was in attendance.
So too was Rev Steve Stockman of the Fitzroy Presbyterian Church in Belfast; the Bosnian War survivor Fardus Sultan who is on the Board of Directors of Glencree Centre for Peace & Reconciliation and Co-Founder, Sisters of Faith for Peace.
Among the participants was also Lay Community Leader at St John's Parish in West Belfast Catherine McCoy and Rev Alex Wimberly from the Presbyterian Church who is the current Director of Corrymeela - Northern Ireland’s oldest peace and reconciliation organisation.
The Holy Thursday Service will air this evening at 4.35pm on RTÉ One Television and 7pm on RTÉ Radio 1 Extra.
