SINN Féin's Martin McGuinness yesterday laid a wreath at the site of the Battle of the Somme.
The deputy first minister was visiting northern France on the second day of his two-day trip to World War One battlefields.
On Wednesday, he was in Flanders in Belgium at the site of the Battle of Messines, where he also laid a wreath.
Speaking at Thiepval Wood, Mr McGuinness said he had never envisaged visiting the Somme battlefield site as the north's deputy first minister and as a "proud Irish republican".
He said the visit was part of an effort to recognise soldiers from Ireland who died in the 1916 battle, as well as its importance to unionists.
"It was very important for me to come here and to demonstrate respect and to remember those who died in the Battle of the Somme and the millions from all nations killed in a catastrophic imperialist war," the Foyle MLA said.
"We have a shared and complex history on the island of Ireland. As we move forward we all have a responsibility to conduct ourselves in a way that is respectful and encourages reconciliation among our people."
The deputy first minister said he hoped his presence at the World War One battlefields contributed to the reconciliation process in a "positive and constructive way".
The battle of the Somme began on July 1 and ended in mid-November.
More than 3,500 soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) divisions were killed with thousands more were injured.
