The 25th anniversary of the 1981 General Strike will be remembered at St. Paul AME Church on Friday.

Residents are invited to the observance, between 12.30 and 1.30 p.m., reflecting on one of the most challenging episodes in the Island's history.

The strike was one of the biggest in Bermuda's history ? and saw thousands of workers walk out amid weeks of industrial unrest over wages.

A statement issued by the organisers of the observance, Imagine Bermuda 2009 and the Joint Labour Day Committee, said violence was avoided in 1981 because many workers were able to "walk the path of choosing peace".

It added: "That strike, and the related events, are reminders that conflict is a real, immediate and integral element of human relationships.

"In spring of 1981, we experienced an unprecedented level of industrial conflict. The record shows that the events took place against a background of unrest and discord that was unprecedented.

"Violent confrontation was averted by conscious effort ? offering an example of our community walking the path of choosing peace."

St. Paul AME Church held daily lunch-time prayer and meditation sessions for strikers during the upheaval of the industrial action, spearheaded by Canon Thomas Nisbett and Rev. Dr. Larry Lowe and supported by clergy and laity from across the Island.

The statement added that while there remained mixed feelings about the strike and its consequences, everyone should be glad that violence was avoided, and this provided a legacy for future generations.

Glen Fubler, co-chairman of Imagine Bermuda 2009, said: "The church became an enclave of peace during the strike. It played a vital role in their being no violence."