9/11 Never Forget: events to mark the 19th anniversary
In line with tradition, a number of events have been lined up in New York City to remember those who lost their lives in the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.
During each of the past 18 years, the lives of those who died in the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 have been remembered with a series of events both in New York City and across the United States. In New York, much of the focus will be as always on ground zero and the new One World Trade Center building in Manhattan. Construction work on One WTC, which replaces the twin towers which were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks began in 2006 and was completed in 2013. It is the tallest building in the United States, standing at 1,776 feet (541 m).
Ceremony at Ground Zero
Every year, the 2,983 victims of 9/11 are remembered during a solemn morning ceremony at One WTC in which all of their names are read out. This year’s event in New York begins at 8:39 local time, the exact time the first plane struck the north tower and will be attended by Joe Biden and his wife Jill, and Republican Vice President Mike Pence. A minute’s silence will be observed at various points during the morning ceremony - 8:39, 9:03, 9:37 and 10:03 – the times each of the hijacked planes crashed and 9:59 and 10:28, the exact times the south and north towers fell. The ceremony will continue until 12:30.
Meanwhile, over at St. Paul’s Chapel which stands close to where the original World Trade Center once stood, services will be held throughout the day including bell ringing and Prayers for Peace.
Tribute of Light
Later today in Manhattan, the Tribute in Light, a light tribute in the shape of the original twin towers will light up the sky from West and Morris Streets in Lower Manhattan. The light beams will remain illuminated until sunrise on 12 September.
Commemorative events will be going on throughout Friday in other parts of the U.S. Both president Donald Trump and candidate Joe Biden are due to speak at separate events in at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed on 9/11.
Several TV networks will be offering special documentaries to look back at one of the darkest days in the nation’s history throughout the day.