A survivor of the 2019 March 15 terror attack in Christchurch has spent part of the fifth anniversary today with a US diplomat, delivering cakes to neighbours and sharing hope in the wake of the hatred shown by the gunman that day.
Farid Ahmed's wife Husna was fatally shot during the attack. She was one of 51 people killed, and dozens more were injured.
This morning, he wanted to spread aroha – and with a team of supporters, he delivered 100 cakes to neighbours with a message.
"To my loving neighbour, please accept this gift from me to your family."
Ahmed wants to promote peace. He has been in a wheelchair since before the terror attack and has written a book about his wife.
"Her last selfless act was going back into the mosque to look for her husband on that fateful day, after she had already led other women and children to safety," the publisher's description of the book reads.
Rashad Hussain is the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. He was in Christchurch with Ahmed today.
"I'm just so honoured to be here with Farid and the Christchurch community," he told 1News.
"We've been so moved in the United States to hear the stories of the families from March 15, 2019 and we want to honour their lives and join in the powerful movement that they've been engaged in."
He praised the community's "understanding and love" in the face of such "violence and unspeakable hatred, and tragedy".
And the response to the attack is "probably more important than ever", Hussain said.
"We have to address these challenges one person at a time and one day at a time," he added.
"The way we transform hearts and the way we bring people together is in our day-to-day interactions, and we see that with the joy that you can bring to someone with something as simple as giving a gift."
Hussain visited the graves of some March 15 victims. He said hearing the stories of their lives was inspiring.
"It's a beautiful community... this neighbourhood reminds me very much of the place where I grew up," he said.
"It's a reminder that people are people – and when you do good, you see that goodness and the reaction to that goodness everywhere you go and that transcends geography, it transcends ethnicity, race, religion, and that's really the message of the community today."
'It is a sad day and also it is a happy day'
Speaking to 1News, Ahmed said the anniversary comes with mixed emotions.
"It is a sad day and also it is a happy day," he explained. "The sad day is because we have lost our loved ones, but it is a happy day because from the tragedy we have gained so many good lessons, so many good things have come out.
"The 15th of March, 2019 was a hate attack – and Kiwis came forward together.
"We defeated one hate with many millions of loves.
"The best way to combat the hate is with love... We can defeat hate with love."
Ahmed said his daughter and the memory of his selfless wife help to drive him each day.
"She could have run away on that day, but she entered back into the mosque three times to save people and to save me," he said.
"And then she was shot... I know that she would be very happy if I carry on the things she was doing.
"We were a team and we lost one but I have to carry on, I have to continue.
"She has given her life for me, basically, and I should do something to give her back."
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