Commemoration of the 23rd Anniversary of September 11 Attacks

NEW YORK — Today marks 23 years since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks that altered New York City and the nation forever. Nearly 3,000 individuals lost their lives when al-Qaida hijackers crashed four jetliners into the twin towers, the Pentagon, and a field in southwest Pennsylvania.

Each year on this day, a solemn ceremony is held at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan, where attendees observe moments of silence and participate in the reading of the names of those who perished. As the years progress, more young individuals born after the attacks engage in remembering this tragic day.

This Wednesday’s ceremony honors the 2,983 victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93, in addition to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The event began for family members at 8:00 a.m., with the first moment of silence observed at 8:46 a.m., marking the time when hijacked Flight 11 struck the North Tower. A second moment of silence followed at 9:03 a.m. for the South Tower and subsequent silences at 9:37 a.m. for the Pentagon, 9:59 a.m. for the South Tower’s collapse, 10:03 a.m. for Flight 93, and finally at 10:28 a.m. for the North Tower’s fall.

The ceremony generally concludes around 12:30 p.m. Key figures in attendance include President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former President Donald Trump, along with various New York leaders such as Senator Chuck Schumer and Governor Kathy Hochul.

In their statements, Biden and Harris emphasized the importance of “never forgetting” the lives lost and the heroism displayed that day. They reflected on the grief that families continue to endure and honored the extraordinary bravery demonstrated by first responders and ordinary citizens alike.

The White House confirmed that the President and Vice President will also visit the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The president continues to draw attention to the need for remembrance alongside ongoing challenges faced by first responders due to health issues arising from their exposure to toxins at Ground Zero.

Local remembrance services are being held across communities, emphasizing the shared loss experienced by many families due to the tragic events of September 11, 2001.