Today, New Zealand marks five years since a gunman opened fire on innocent people at prayer at Masjid Al Noor and the Linwood Avenue Islamic Centre, leaving 51 families deprived of their loved ones.
Most Kiwis recall where they were on that day, a day seared in the memories of millions. For Christchurch, it was a cruel twist of fate that left them traumatised again by a horrific loss.
Nonetheless, a tremendous outpouring of solidarity and support was offered, which members of Christchurch’s Muslim communities are ever grateful for.
However, in the years that followed, the struggles of those most impacted — family members of the shuhada (martyrs) and those injured or present during the attacks; first responders, health workers and good Samaritans who rendered aid; direct witnesses and bystanders — have faded from public consciousness.
Yet even as attention waned, a wounded city whose earthquake scars have hardly healed, got up and (again) threw itself into the soul-searching work of recovery.
This has been an arduous and difficult road for many, a journey unfinished and not well appreciated by the majority of New Zealand. Despite progress made, racism, threats, harassment and discrimination have worsened for minoritised groups in New Zealand, according to the police’s most recent hate incidents report.
A few weeks ago, I was invited by members of Christchurch’s Muslim communities to discuss what it means to mark five years since the attack. Because ways of remembering the deceased in Islam are diverse and differ from those in non-Islamic society, the focus was on the lives, hopes and dreams of the shuhada rather than on the circumstances of their death.
Most importantly, prayer, spiritual support and compassionate presence are the primary focus for families, witnesses and community members during this time.
Acknowledging the strength and stories of those who have persevered through recovery is another way of honouring Christchurch Muslim communities. Therefore, rather than an anniversary or memorial event, survivors and those impacted have recast this as "Unity Week" to show that.
Unity Week is about working collectively towards a future where everyone, regardless of their physical attributes, ethnic identities and ideological affiliation, feel they belong and are empowered to advocate for each other.
It is an annual reminder for our children, whanau, colleagues, neighbours and leaders to pause, reflect on the lessons of March 15, keep it in our consciousness, recommit ourselves to continuing the moral fight and engage with each other to shift unhelpful societal attitudes.
Unity Week is an invitation to the world, no matter your age, nationality, religion or background — to set aside some time and energy to really see each other and recognise our shared humanity.
A number of activities have been planned to encourage and affirm gathering, dialogue, sharing food, connections and creative expressions. In "Beyond Words", several musical pieces were performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Islamic musicians using contemporary and traditional instruments. These were composed especially for this purpose and the piece Ahlan wa Sahlan used the Arabic welcome to let people know they are in a place where they belong. Inspired by the peace, love and forgiveness of mosque attack survivor Farid Ahmed, the composers combined musical styles from Eastern and Western cultures.
Another need that came out of the discussion was the imperative to revitalise dialogue between and within people of different faiths and cultures — to start a truly national conversation on the root causes of the attacks. It is crucial for non-Muslims (like myself) to educate and ask ourselves the hard questions about issues of racism and Islamophobia that are still all too present in our society.
This is all the more important in a polarised political climate where cultural grievances, toxic communication and histories of violence are used as weapons to attack rather than opportunities for healing, acknowledgement and accountability.
Countering this means developing and strengthening initiatives in our local communities, schools, clubs and places of worship that will strengthen our capacity to see the "other" as a friend and fellow human being. Honouring the lives lost in Christchurch five years ago demands nothing less than this: a courageous commitment to listening deeply to experiences of both harm — and harmony — among the diverse communities of faith and culture that comprise New Zealand.
In the coming weeks, I hope and pray that Kiwis of goodwill can accomplish at least one concrete action that will buoy hope for a better world not only for the people of Christchurch, but the nation, and the world.
■Jeremy Simons is a senior research fellow at Te Ngāpara Centre for Restorative Practice at Victoria University of Wellington.
