National Day of Mourning: Australia unites to remember 15 victims of Bondi Beach terror attack
The 15 victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack are being remembered across the nation with a day of mourning.
Led by the Bondi Chabad, the theme for the sombre day is Light Will Win: A Gathering of Unity and Remembrance.
It is the first time Australia has observed a national day of mourning since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said flags will be flown at half-mast on Thursday and national institutions in Canberra and Sydney will be illuminated.
A national memorial service at the Sydney Opera House will take place from 7pm and will be streamed online.
Fifteen candles, one for each victim of the anti-Semitic terror attack, will be lit by the families of those slain.
Dignitaries slated to attend alongside the Prime Minister include Governor-General Sam Mostyn, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and NSW Premier Chris Minns.
The Prime Minister encouraged all Australians to participate in their own way by leaving a candle on their window ledge or doorstep, with a minute’s silence scheduled for 7.01pm.
“This will be a very important day of mourning. It will be an opportunity for us to pay respects as a nation to those people who lost their lives,” he said.
In Victoria, a multi-faith vigil will be held earlier on Thursday at St Paul’s Cathedral.
A commemorative installation, 15 Pillars of Light, will also be erected throughout Australian cities.
The Jewish community has requested that Australians come together through a mitzvah, an act of kindness or compassion.
This can include giving to others, helping the sick, offering hospitality or providing kindness to animals.
It comes a month after a vigil at Bondi Beach attended by thousands of people in a cathartic show of defiance and sadness, as survivors recounted harrowing tales of bullets flying past them.
Rabbi Mendel Kastel, who lost his brother-in-law Rabbi Eli Schlanger, arrived at the scene of the terrorist attack soon after.
He has been heartened by people coming together to support a Jewish community so viciously targeted.
“The one thing that’s common is a sense of community and support, looking after each other and trying to provide as much comfort as possible,” he told AAP.
