A photo of Jacinda Ardern was projected onto the world’s tallest building as a symbol of peace.
The image lit up the Burj Khalifa, an 829-metre-tall skyscraper in Dubai, and showed the Prime Minister hugging a woman at the Kilbirnie mosque in Wellington.
It was accompanied by the Arabic word ‘salam’, and its English translation, ‘peace’.
Sheikh Mohammed, the Prime Minister and Vice-President of the UAE and ruler of the emirate of Dubai, shared a photo of the emotional tribute to Twitter yesterday (March 22), a week after the attacks which saw 50 innocent people killed in Christchurch on March 15.
New Zealand today fell silent in honour of the mosque attacks' martyrs. Thank you PM @jacindaardern and New Zealand for your sincere empathy and support that has won the respect of 1.5 billion Muslims after the terrorist attack that shook the Muslim community around the world. pic.twitter.com/9LDvH0ybhD
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) March 22, 2019
He wrote:
New Zealand today fell silent in honour of the mosque attacks’ martyrs. Thank you PM Jacinda Ardern and New Zealand for your sincere empathy and support that has won the respect of 1.5 billion Muslims after the terrorist attack that shook the Muslim community around the world.
Friday’s call to prayer was broadcast nationwide on television and radio in New Zealand, and almost 20,000 people attended a prayer service in the park opposite Al Noor mosque, in a show of solidarity.
Ms Ardern joined those at the vigil and lead a two minute silence in honour of the victims. She, along with many women all over New Zealand, wore a headscarf on Friday (March 22), to show solidarity with Muslims.
PM of #NewZealand Jacinda Ardern quotes the Prophet Muhammad, and honors him with peace and blessings, before the call to prayer is broadcasted nationally.
Can’t praise this woman enough. pic.twitter.com/NCJSPkrL0Y
— Khaled Beydoun (@KhaledBeydoun) March 22, 2019
In a short speech, she quoted the Prophet Muhammad, saying:
The believers in mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When any part of the body suffers, the whole body feels pain.
She added:
New Zealand mourns with you. We are one.
The Prime Minister has been widely praised for the way she reacted to the horrific events, showing compassion and respect for her fellow New Zealanders and embracing the country’s Muslim community.
Martin Luther King Jr’s daughter, Bernice King, tweeted her respect for Ms Ardern, writing:
Thank you, @jacindaardern. Your love for New Zealand, particularly for Muslims in your nation during this time of mourning, reflects the type of sincere, people-oriented leadership that the world needs to evolve from its current chaotic state.
Thank you, @jacindaardern. Your love for New Zealand, particularly for Muslims in your nation during this time of mourning, reflects the type of sincere, people-oriented leadership that the world needs to evolve from its current chaotic state. #NewZealandMosqueAttacks pic.twitter.com/9XI3La6Im3
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) March 17, 2019
The country has also taken steps to ban semi-automatic weapons, assault rifles, and high-capacity magazines in the wake of the attacks.
Dubai’s tribute to New Zealand and Ms Ardern is a lovely way to help spread the message of peace.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.