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In a meeting with NIO Minister of State, Robin Walker, Mr Allister also raised the possibility of special Royal Mail stamp collection, a Red Arrows fly past and a specially minted coin, to celebrate the creation of the UK.
Among the proposals put by TUV were the following:-
* A visit by the Queen and royal address to the Northern Ireland Assembly and large scale garden party;
* The flying of the national flag on all public buildings on each key date;
* An additional public holiday in or about May 3;
* A Red Arrows fly past and visit of leading Royal Navy vessels;
* A special Royal Mail stamp collection;
* A specially minted commemorative coin, with presentation to every schoolchild and centenary specific classroom materials;
* A specially commissioned logo to brand and promote all events;
* A UK Government cabinet meeting in Belfast to mark the centenary with Prime Ministerial promotional visits to key tourist attractions;
* An exhibition in the National Portrait Gallery in London of key NI figures in sports, military, arts and politics, which would then tour the rest of the UK;
* Promotion of Northern Ireland industry, including our food and drink products;
* Special honour and remembrance of all security personnel who gave their lives in defence of Northern Ireland, with a particular focus at the 2021 Remembrance Event in the Royal Albert Hall.
Mr Allister said: “Since the centenary marks not just the creation of Northern Ireland but the UK as presently constituted, this must be a national celebration.”
He stressed to the Government that it must take control of the organising of the celebrations “because if left to the Stormont Executive they would be neutered by the pernicious Sinn Fein veto”.
Mr Allister also stressed that these events “were about celebrating Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom and, therefore, they were not an occasion to be muddied by Dublin involvement”.
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