Prime Minister Scott Morrison has joined world leaders from 60 countries at a remembrance service for the tragic victims of the Christchurch terror attack.
Mr Morrison arrived at the service, which commenced at 10am on Friday in Hagley Park, along with opposition leader Bill Shorten and Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove.
The service, which marks two weeks since a gunman claimed 50 lives in a mass shooting at two mosques, is being live-streamed online and televised by TVNZ.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) has joined world leaders from 60 countries at a remembrance service for the tragic victims of the Christchurch terror attack
Mr Morrison (pictured) arrived at the service, which commenced at 10am on Friday in Hagley Park, along with opposition leader Bill Shorten and Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove
Delegates from nearly 60 countries will also be joining thousands of New Zealanders, with crowds expected to be upwards of about 15,000
Delegates from nearly 60 countries have joined thousands of New Zealanders, with crowds expected to be reach upwards of about 15,000.
The Muslim community will be at centre of the ceremony but many of their leaders and other visiting dignitaries haven’t been identified for security reasons.
Before the service, Mr Morrison, Mr Shorten and Mr Cosgrove, and their wives laid flowers at the adjacent Al Noor Mosque, the scene of one of the attacks on March 15.
Heavily armed officers are patrolling the central city park, with snipers and elite staff from Australia reportedly boosting police numbers in what has been described as the country’s biggest security operation.
Musician Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, performed Peace Train at the service which was broadcast live around New Zealand and internationally
Before singing, Mr Islam paid tribute to the families of those who had lost loved ones while they were worshipping the mosque two weeks ago
The ceremony was opened with a Maori welcome, greeted with remarkable silence given the size of the crowd spread across the sprawling park.
Musician Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, performed Peace Train at the service which will be broadcast live around New Zealand and internationally.
Before singing, he paid tribute to the families of those who had lost loved ones while they were worshipping the mosque two weeks ago.
Ms Ardern (pictured) received a huge round of applause and a standing ovation as she took the stage to deliver her speech
The NZ PM said even though the nation was still recovering from ‘our darkest hours’, they have a responsibility to ‘be the place we wish to be’
‘It’s only when good people stay sitting that evil rises … we’ve seen the opposite in this country,’ Mr Islam said.
Ms Ardern received a huge round of applause and a standing ovation as she took the stage to deliver her speech, Stuff reported.
The NZ PM said even though the nation was still recovering from ‘our darkest hours’, they have a responsibility to ‘be the place we wish to be’.
‘Violence and extremism in all its forms is not welcome here. Over the last two weeks, we have shown that. You have shown that,’ Ms Ardern said.
She described how the world is enduring a vicious cycle of extremism breeding extremism, which needs to stop – and the answer lies in people’s humanity.
As the PM completed her speech with as-salamu alaykum, there was another round of applause from the crowd.
Ms Ardern hopes the remembrance service for victims of the Christchurch terror attacks will herald the beginning of necessary shifts in New Zealand society.
She said her country has had time to come to terms with the horrific nature of the massacre and hopes there is a groundswell for change.
‘I want to acknowledge that New Zealand is now on the beginning of a journey,’ Ms Ardern said.
Ms Ardern (pictured) hopes the remembrance service for victims of the Christchurch terror attacks will herald the beginning of necessary shifts in New Zealand society.
‘We have never been free of racism. We have never been free of violent ideology but our over-riding values are ones of fairness, compassion and diversity.’
Al Noor Mosque terror attack survivor Farid Ahmed was greeted with a round of applause when he came onto the stage to speak.
His wife, Husna, was killed in the attack after she rescued some children from the gunman before returning to find her wheelchair-bound husband.
Mr Ahmed said while those who were killed on the day are dead, their souls are still alive.
‘The people who were killed in their worship – they are in paradise,’ Mr Ahmed said.
More to come.