6 August 2012 Last updated at 18:39 ET

Decade of centenaries marked at Belfast City Hall

British soldiers take cover behind beer casks during the Easter Rising

A forthcoming decade of historic centenaries are being marked in a new exhibition.

The anniversaries will commemorate 100 years since the signing of the Ulster Covenant, the Easter Rising, the War of Independence and the establishment of Northern Ireland.

The new interactive exhibition opened at Belfast's City Hall on Monday.

It has adopted the theme 'Shared History - Different Allegiances'.

It primarily focuses on key events that took place in the period between 1912 and 1914.

The exhibition explores the campaigns for and against Home Rule, the signing of the Ulster Covenant, the growth of the volunteer armies, gun running, the suffrage movement and the Gaelic revival.

Visitors will be able to sample life at the time through photographs, archive film footage and artefacts.

For those interested in learning about their own ancestors, the exhibition will offer the opportunity for people to check if family members were among those who signed the Ulster Covenant.

Junior minister Jennifer McCann said it was important that communities learn from each other's history.

"The upcoming decade presents us with an historic opportunity to revisit the past, to understand where we have come from, and to come to a shared understanding about where we wish to go to in the future," she said.

"While each of us has different views, beliefs, outlooks and experiences, it is without doubt that our past, our present, and our future is shared.

"This decade of centenaries presents us with the opportunity to celebrate in a way which will position our community as a powerful example in conflict resolution and transformation on the world stage."

The exhibition will be on display until February next year. It is the first in a series of three exhibitions which will cover and be phased out by Belfast City Council between the years 1912-1922.

A full supporting programme of events including talks and specially-commissioned dramas will also take place between September and November.