LONDON (Reuters) - British Prince William ended a two-day visit to New Zealand on Friday, where he met with survivors of the two-day mosque massacre in mid-March and assured them that "hatred will fail to divide us."
The Queen's grandson, the Duke of Cambridge, began a visit to New Zealand on Thursday on behalf of the Queen and at the invitation of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardirn to express the solidarity of the royal family with the victims of the massacre of the two mosques, which left 50 dead worshipers.
On the first day, Prince William visited the Light and Lenwood mosques that witnessed the massacre and held meetings with survivors. "The moral compass of the world has moved to Christchurch through its decisive response to the massacre," he said in a speech to survivors of the massacre.
Visit a child
Before that, the prince visited the Starcheship Children's Hospital in Auckland with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, where he met a five-year-old girl who had recently recovered from a coma after she and her father were injured in one of the attacks.
Prince William sits on the bedside of the girl and is surrounded by members of her family, accompanied by Ardenne.
On the second day of the visit, the British prince met with about 160 survivors and members of the families of the victims at the Al Nour Mosque in Christchurch. He said in a speech at the mosque that when he awoke on March 15, he could not believe the news of the massacre.
Prince William praised the New Zealand society's treatment of the carnage, saying the New Zealanders "taught the world how the forces of love triumph over the forces of hatred through the sadness and sympathy they showed with the victims of the massacre."
He added that the terrorist who carried out the massacre tried to "cultivate division and hatred in a place characterized by collective action and self-denial," adding that the response of the citizens of Christ Church is an example that inspires the world.
He also praised the Prime Minister of New Zealand, saying that it showed exceptional leadership in dealing with the tragedy mixed between the firmness and sympathy.