CHRISTCHURCH: An official tribute service was held on Saturday to mourn the 51 victims of the terror attacks at the two mosques in New Zealand's Christchurch city in March 2019. Many others were also injured and traumatized in the terror attacks of the day two years ago, which according to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was "New Zealand's darkest day", reports Xinhua news. Last year's national remembrance service to mark the first anniversary was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The second-anniversary service, which was attended by about 1,000 people, became the first national memorial held after the tragic incident. With the country currently at Covid-19 Alert Level 1, this year's remembrance service got the green light to go.

Measures were put in place to keep people safe, including encouraging physical distancing and use of the New Zealand Covid tracer apps. Those most affected by the attacks, including survivors and families of the victims, told their stories at the event named "Ko Tatou, Tatou, We Are One".

Those who died in the attacks were honoured in a portrait of remembrance on screen at the event, while the names of the 51 men, women and children killed in the shootings were read out, and a minute's silence was observed.

Ardern told the crowds of people that "much has been said, but words, despite their healing power, will never change what happened that day". "Words will not bring back those men, women and children who gathered at their place of worship, quietly and peacefully when they were taken in an act of terror.

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