CANBERRA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Australians have been asked to light a candle and observe a minute of silence on Thursday night to commemorate the victims of the Bondi Beach shooting attack, which occurred on Dec. 14, targeting people celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at the iconic beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs.
Thursday marks a national day of mourning declared by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the 15 fatal victims.
It is the first time that Australia has observed a national day of mourning since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
In a statement, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet said that Australian flags should be flown at half-mast at all government buildings in Australia and overseas and that governments and organizations are encouraged to light up buildings.
Australians are invited to observe a minute of silence at 7:01 p.m. local time (0801 GMT) to coincide with the start of the national memorial service at the Sydney Opera House and to leave a candle on their doorstep or window, the statement added.
"Today is an opportunity for us to remember and pay respect to the 15 lives," Albanese told reporters in Canberra on Thursday morning. "It's an opportunity for us as a nation to wrap our arms around the Jewish community because people were targeted because they were Jewish Australians." ■