Prince William reconnects with Muslims of the Christchurch community

Prince William has dialled in Down Under to check on Christchurch's Muslim community a year after the mosque shootings which claimed 51 lives.

The Duke of Cambridge used Zoom to speak to the imams of Masjid Al Noor and Linwood Islamic Centre, along with prominent Muslim Association of Canterbury members and local MP Dr Megan Woods.

Gamal Fouda, imam of Masjid Al Noor, told the Herald that he'd been expecting the call all week.

The Duke says he was reconnecting with the people he met during his visit to Christchurch in the weeks after the terror attack.

During the 40-minute conversation, the group spoke about grief and healing, as well as the continuing effects that March 15 has had on their community. They also talked to the Duke about Covid-19 and how they have adapted to continue supporting their community during New Zealand's lockdown.

He finished the call by reflecting on the 2019 attacks and saying: "I'm really proud of all of you, the whole community and the New Zealand Government for how you have all dealt with such an atrocity. You are a role model for how something so tragic can be negotiated with the utmost grace and dignity."

While having no doubt the work undertaken so far has already made it harder for extremists to push terror and violence through the internet and social media, Ardern is under no illusions there is much more to do.

"Malicious actors will always be searching for new ways to promote terrorism and violent extremism, and inflict harm, online," she said.

"For as long they are, we will be working to counter them."

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