No public remembrance service for Christchurch attacks anniversary

15 March 2019 was one of the darkest days for the Christchurch community. In horrific mass shooting incidents at Christchurch’s Al Noor and Linwood mosques, fifty-one people lost their lives and many others were gravely injured or traumatised.

This year marks the third anniversary of the tragic event but there will not be any formal public remembrance event.

The decision has been taken at the request of the bereaved families and those injured in the attacks.

According to Christchurch City Council, there will instead be several community-led initiatives aimed at encouraging people to show their love and support for the Muslim community.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says the local and central governments have sought to honour the wishes of the bereaved families.

“In consultation with the bereaved families and survivors, national remembrance services were held in 2019 and 2021 – the latter date because the service planned for 2020 had to be cancelled due to Covid-19. This year, the families and survivors have told us they no longer want this type of event.”

The Mayor said, “As a Council we will wholeheartedly support the events and initiatives that the bereaved families and injured or traumatised survivors have created, and we hope all city residents will do so as well.”

In the previous two years, there have been formal public events which are also an opportunity to thank the first responders, emergency response teams, paramedics and hospital teams.

This anniversary will be marked by community-led events including an Islamic Awareness Week, from 7 to 13 March. This will include a keynote lecture, an Islamic Art and Calligraphy exhibition, and giveaways across the city.

A Unity Week will also be held in from 15 to 22 March to harness the sense of unity that emerged in the city and the rest of New Zealand as the response to the mosque attacks.

Co-ordinated by the Sakinah Community Trust, activities planned during Unity Week include a football tournament and an emerging ethnic leaders’ breakfast.

Race Relations Day on 21 March, which is internationally observed as The Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will also be a part of the Unity Week.

Sakinah Community Trust hopes the Unity Week will become a national event in the coming years. There are also plans to make the Islamic Awareness Week and Unity Week permanent fixtures on Christchurch’s calendar.