The United States commemorates 22 years since the September 11 attacks
September 11, 2023 marks the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 attacks. A day dedicated to commemorating the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Al-Qaeda in 2001. The United States paid tribute to the victims in symbolic ceremonies across the country.
US President Joe Biden visited Alaska, where he delivered a speech calling for national unity. He stressed that “terrorism, including political and ideological violence, are the opposite of everything that makes us a nation.” Biden also urged making national unity the common cause of our times.
In New York, Vice President Kamala Harris was present alongside former and current mayors of the city, as well as many members of the victims’ families. Minutes of silence were observed to mark the precise moments of the attacks and collapse of the World Trade Center twin towers. The names of the victims were read all morning by relatives.
At the Pentagon, a ceremony was held to honor the 184 people killed when a plane crashed into the Defense Department building. Similarly, in Pennsylvania, sirens sounded in memory of the 40 passengers and crew who died on the fourth hijacked plane.
The September 11 attacks remain the deadliest in United States history, with a death toll of nearly 3,000 and thousands injured. The consequences of these attacks were felt for years, with illnesses and deaths linked to inhaling the toxic dust released when the Twin Towers collapsed.
The commemoration of this tragic event serves to recall the importance of national unity in the face of terrorism and to pay tribute to the victims as well as those who sacrificed their lives to defend the country. It is also an opportunity to reaffirm the United States’ resolve to fight terrorism and preserve the security and freedom of our nation.