Dubai projects New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern image on Burj Khalifa

A handout image obtained from Dubai’s Public Diplomacy Office on March 23, 2019 shows the Gulf emirate’s Burj Khalifa tower lit the previous night with an image of New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in appreciation of her solidarity position with her country’s Muslim community following the March 15 massacre of 50 worshippers in a mosque in Christchurch by an Australian white supremacist.

Dubai has projected the image of New Zealand premier Jacinda Ardern onto its iconic Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, in thanks for her response to last week’s mosque shootings.

Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum praised Ms. Ardern’s “support to the Muslim community” after a white supremacist gunman attacked two mosques on March 15, killing 50 people.

“Thank you PM @jacindaardern and New Zealand for your sincere empathy and support that has won the respect of 1.5 billion Muslims after the terrorist attack that shook the Muslim community around the world,” he tweeted.

A photo from Dubai’s Public Diplomacy Office showed Burj Khalifa lit up with a picture of Ms. Ardern in hijab, warmly embracing a Muslim affected by the tragedy, under the word “peace” in Arabic and English.

Ms. Ardern has been widely praised for her handling of the tragedy, meeting victims’ families and moving quickly to tighten gun laws while calling for global efforts against extremism online.