BALLYMURPHY councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly is the new Lord Mayor of Belfast.
The Sinn Féin councillor was nominated by her party and received the chain of honour at Monday evening's full Council meeting.
Róis-Máire takes on the role from outgoing Lord Mayor DUP councillor Tracy Kelly who received warm praise from across the Chamber for her work as Mayor.
Alliance councillor Hedley Abernethy has also become the new Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast. Councillor Abernethy represents the Ormiston area of East Belfast and takes over from outgoing Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Paul Doherty.
Speaking in the Chamber shortly after officially becoming Lord Mayor, Róis-Máire said: "Firstly, I want to pay tribute to Councillor Tracy Kelly. Tracy, you've done a fantastic job representing Belfast. I'm sure your family and the people of your local community are very proud of you.
"I want to pay thanks to the Sinn Féin group for nominating me as their candidate in what is a hugely significant and important civic position in this great city.
"It's a great source of pride for me, for my family, and I hope for my own area, Ballymurphy. I couldn't be prouder that the people of the Black Mountain Electoral Area put their faith in me to represent them and I'm looking forward to showing exactly what a Ballymurphy woman can bring to the room.
"I love this city. I was born here and I've lived in it all my life. It's a city made great by its people. Moreover, I want to bring a message of diversity and inclusiveness to the year ahead. I was raised in an inclusive, welcoming environment where difference and diversity is embraced and celebrated and I am proud of that.
"My upbringing has shown me that everyone deserves to be and must be treated equally. I want a Belfast that does that in word and in action, no matter your background.
"I want a Belfast where language rights are respected and cherished because they belong to all of us. I want a Belfast where we champion the rights of the most vulnerable in our society and do so proudly, without fear or favour and I will never accept that undeniable rights are merely privileges to be given and taken from those in need by those in power.
"Diversity enriches our city and the lives of all of our citizens, and I will champion that diversity in this year. I will reach out the hand of friendship and do my best to help build a future we can all be part of, a future built on the foundation of a rights-based society. And for me, the Irish language community is central to that. Gaelige is flourishing in this city in all four quarters, leading in community education, physical regeneration and proactively protecting, support and other rights-based movements in the city such as supporting women and girls, LGBT issues, Palestinian solidarity and much more.
"Throughout my year in office, I will strive to highlight core issues, real life issues affect all people. As a Council, do we lead on initiatives such as ending violence against women and girls? How do we support and uplift young women? How do we educate young men to make positive life choices? What pressure can we bring to borrow to strengthen support for workers and families under pressure in our communities right across the city?
"There have been so many positive changes for Belfast over the last few decades. It would have been incomprehensible not too long ago to think that a young woman from Ballymurphy would become Ardmhéara.
"I am humbled that I have the honour to be that person. The area I come from is a working class community, a resilient community that has faced periods of immense hardship. It is a truly proud community. Growing up, I have been surrounded by people who have sacrificed, who wanted to build a better future for everyone.
"Whether you're British, Irish, or neither, I will spend my time trying my best to reach out and ensure you feel represented.
"Looking forward to my time, that's the sort of Ardmhéara I want to be, one that speaks to all people, to young people, and particularly young girls and someone that represents the Belfast of today, a city confident in its identity, in our culture, and our languages and a city that welcomes visitors and residents alike."
