Gamal Fouda: 'They were the best of us, taken from us on the best of days', Christchurch Mosque memorial - 2019

22 March 2019, Hagley Park, Chrstchurch, New Zealand

Brothers and sisters in Islam, brothers and sisters in humanity, brothers and sisters in New Zealand.

Last Friday, I stood in this mosque and saw hatred and rage in the eyes of the terrorist who killed fifty innocent people, wounded 42, and broke the heart of millions around the world.

Today, from the same place, I look out and I see the love and compassion in the eyes of thousands of fellow New Zealanders and human beings from across the globe that fill the hearts of millions more who are not with us physically, but in spirit.

This terrorist sought to tear our nation apart with an evil ideology that has torn the world apart.

But instead, we have shown that New Zealand is unbreakable and that the world can see in us an example of love and unity.

We are broken-hearted, but we are not broken. We are alive! We are together! We are determined to not let anyone divide us.

We are determined to love one another and to support each other.

This evil ideology of white supremacy did not strike us first, yet it has struck us hardest.

The number of people killed is not ordinary but the solidarity in New Zealand is extraordinary.

To the families of the victims, your loved ones did not die in vain. Their blood has watered the seeds of hope.

Through them, the world will see the beauty of Islam and the beauty of our unity.

[prayer interlude]

Do not say of those who have been killed in the way of Allah that they are dead.

They are alive! Rejoicing with their Lord.

They were the best of us, taken from us on the best of days, in the best of places, and performing the best of actions.

They are not just martyrs of Islam, but they are martyrs of this nation, New Zealand!

Our loss of you is a gain to New Zealand's unity and strength.

Your departure is an awaking not just for our nation, but for all humanity.

Your martyrdom is a new life for New Zealand and a chance of prosperity for many.

Our assembly here, with all the shades of our diversity, is a testament of our joint humanity.

We are here in our hundreds and thousands unified for one purpose — that hate will be undone and love will redeem us.

We are taught by our prophet, Mohamed, that you can never truly show gratitude to the almighty God without thanking your fellow man.

To the people of New Zealand, thank you.

Thank you!

Thank you for your tears. Thank you for your haka. Thank you for your flowers. Thank you for your love and compassion.

To our Prime Minister, thank you. Thank you for your leadership — it has been a lesson for the world's leaders.

Thank you for holding our families close and honouring us with a simple scarf.

Thank you for your words and tears of compassion. Thank you for being one with us.

Thank you to the New Zealand Government and to all the wonderful people who have shown us that we matter and are not forgotten.

Thank you to our police force and front-line services. You put our lives before your own every day.

Thank you to the neighbours who opened their doors to save us from the killer.

Thank you to those who pulled over their cars to help us.

Thank you to those who brought us food and helped us when we found it difficult to stand.

Thank you, thank you, New Zealand!

Thank you for teaching the world what it means to love and care.

To my brothers and sisters, those who are here today to perform the weekly Friday prayer, thank you for coming together once again.

It is easy to feel lost after the trauma you and I experienced. But the promise of Allah made to us is true.

Give glad news to the patient.

Those, when afflicted, they say to Allah, "We all belong", and to him we shall return.

These are those upon whom God's mercy descends.

Thank you for your strength and your forgiveness.

Thank you for your anger that is restrained and for your mercy that is overflowing.

Thank you for your steadfastness and standing tall when others would fall.

Thank you.

Catherine Wallis: 'We are young and old. We are women and men', Anzac Day Dawn Service, Wagga - 2018

25 April 2018, RAAF Base, Wagga, NSW, Australia

Welcome to our Base on this important day for our Defence Force and for our community.

Everyone here got up very early this morning. For some that might be normal; but for most a very special effort has been made to be here.

And why are we here?

We each have different connections, different stories, different reasons that bring us all together in the dark to wait for the Dawn.

For some of us Anzac Day has an intensely personal connection. We remember a mate, a relative or a colleague who gave their life for their country. Like the local Wagga family the Meiklejohns, who I had the pleasure of meeting last year. They lost their beloved brother Robert in 1943, when his bomber went down over the Belgian town of Hamont-Achel. His memory is preserved in the story and song that you can learn about in the Heritage Centre behind me.

Some of us have served and returned, recently or a long time ago. Not all of us fit the traditional stereotype of the “veteran “. We are young and old. We are women and men. Some of us struggle with things that we cannot un-see. And decisions that we cannot un-make. For some of us Anzac Day is the hardest day of the year. As MAJ Clare O’Neill described: “it is difficult to share the horrors with people outside the military field when it is those people who you served to keep the horrors from.”

Some of us are current serving members of the Navy, Army and Air Force. We honour our colleagues who have served proudly before us and we hope that should we ever be placed in their position, we will act in a way that brings pride to ourselves, our families and our country. That if we are truly tested, we will be steadfast, selfless and compassionate.

And some of us here today are our neighbours and our friends. The Forest Hill and Wagga community. Who welcome us here in their town every day and who honour and respect those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Whatever our individual reasons for being here, we find ourselves close together as the light begins to shine over the Riverina, like it did on that first Anzac Day so many years ago.

We remember those who have gone - their steadfastness, their selflessness, their compassion and their comradeship.

We remember young lives taken away, and veterans of all ages who bear the scars of their service for a lifetime.

We come together with respect, with a deep sense of connection, and with hope for a peaceful future.

And we hold our community close. Our friends, our families, our neighbours and our town of Wagga.

Lest we forget