Support the community
Friday March 22 will be a day to visibly support our community.
- An official Call to Prayer event will take place this afternoon as Hagley Park, across from Al Noor Masjid on Deans Avenue in Christchurch. The official proceedings will begin at 1.25pm, with the call to prayer starting at 1.30pm, followed by two minutes of silence at 1.32pm. From 1.34pm until approximately 2pm the Muslim community will pray and the crowd will remain silent. The service will conclude with a brief closing remark from the Prime Minister at approximately 2.02pm. Those wishing to attend are advised to arrive early, preferably before 1.00pm. Everyone attending this event is asked to wear clothing that covers the ankles and long sleeves that go down to the wrist. Women should wear headscarves that cover their hair.
- The Christchurch Foundation has introduced #colouryourdaynz and is encouraging people to wear something colourful. Donations can be made to the Christchurch Foundation.
- New Zealanders are also encouraged to wear a #headscarfforharmony as a show of solidarity with the Muslim community on Friday. The idea was raised by an Auckland GP with a long-standing affinity with the Muslim community and has the support of Islamic Women's Council of New Zealand and the NZ Muslim Association.
Stand in solidarity
- The March for Love will be held in North Hagley Park on Saturday 23 March at 10am. All public transport, including the Diamond Harbour ferry, will be free between 7am and 2pm.
- The Remember Those Who Lost Their Lives 15-3-19 gathering will be held in North Hagley Park on Sunday 24 March between 5pm and 7pm. All public transport will be free from 2pm for this event.
Sign the condolence book
A condolence book has been set up on the ground floor of Tūranga, the central library. You can leave a message of support and sympathy to those affected by Friday's mosque shootings. Tūranga is open 8am-8pm on weekdays, and 10am-5pm on weekends.
Take time to reflect
The Great Hall, at the Christchurch Arts Centre on Worcester Blvd, is open as a place of reflection and gathering. All are welcome.
Flowers
Flowers can be placed at:
- The Botanic Gardens entrance, along Rolleston Ave
- The corner of Deans Ave and Riccarton Rd
- The intersection of Linwood Ave and Aldwins Road intersection
- The intersection of Cashel St and Linwood Ave
Donate
Our People, Our City. At the Mayor's request, the Christchurch Foundation - NZ has established a new fund to help raise money for the ongoing support of the families and Muslim communities impacted by Friday's tragic events. The fund is called Our People, Our City. Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund can do so at any TSB branch or by bank transfer to the Foundation’s bank account : The Christchurch Foundation, 15-3976-0091104-80
Reach out
If you need to talk to someone, you can call or text 1737 any time – they will listen with open hearts.
Educate yourself
Our friends at TEDxChristchurch have compiled a list of talks from around the world appropriate to this time: talks about Islam and Islamophobia, about compassion and radical love.
- Scilla Elworthy: Fighting with nonviolence
- Karen Armstrong champions compassion
- Suzanne Barakat: Islamophobia killed my brother. Let's end the hate
- A curated video collection on Understanding Islam
- Valarie Kaur: 3 lessons of revolutionary love in a time of rage
- Verna Myers: How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them
While each of the above talks is powerful in its own right, they are all versions of a fundamental truth—to paraphrase Max Ehrmann, we are all children of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; we have a right to be here.
Take care of yourself and those you care about
The Christchurch City Council is providing updated information here: www.ccc.govt.nz/news-and-events/newsline/show/3452