Panelists on stage at the 9/11 Memorial Museum. A bright blue screen sits behind them, with the social media icons for Twitter and Facebook and the text hashtag 911 Ed Talk superimposed on it.
Photo by David E. Starke

Upcoming Public Programs

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s public programs explore a range of topics reflecting on the ongoing impacts and continued resonance of the attacks, their historical context, and their aftermath.

Engaging the Next Generation: A Conversation with Admiral William H. McRaven (Virtual)

Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 6:45 p.m. ET
More than 100 million Americans have been born since 9/11. As this generation navigates a deeply divided world, sharing stories from the attacks that highlight bravery, service, compassion, and unity has never been more important. To discuss how to engage young people today – in the classroom and the workplace – Admiral William H. McRaven (ret.), former commander of US Special Operations Command and former Chancellor of the University of Texas System, will join Elizabeth Hillman, 9/11 Memorial & Museum CEO & President, John Paluska, 9/11 Memorial & Museum Visionary Network Co-Founder and US Army veteran, and educator Emily Gardner, Librarian at Caldwell Heights Elementary in Texas. Their conversation will be broadcast live from Austin, TX and look to the future as we approach the 25th anniversary of 9/11 in 2026.

Interpreters Wanted: A Story of Escape from Afghanistan

Wednesday, April 17, 2024, 6:00 p.m. ET
On August 30, 2021, the U.S. withdrew its final troops from Afghanistan, bringing the nearly 20-year war to a close. As the Taliban took hold of the country, civilians and U.S. allies desperately worked to escape safely. “Interpreters Wanted” tells the story of Saifullah and Ismail Haqmal, two brothers who served as interpreters alongside Army Combat Veteran and Director of the film, Robert Ham. In conversation with Museum Director Clifford Chanin, Robert, Ismail and Saifullah discuss their friendship and service together in Afghanistan and the brothers’ plight as they fought to gain entry to the U.S. In addition, John Paluska, 9/11 Memorial & Museum Visionary Network Co-Founder and US Army veteran, will share his own experience helping others flee the Taliban regime.

Al-Qaeda: A Threat Evolved?

Thursday, May 2, 2024, 6:00 p.m. ET
Almost three years after the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, the current state of al-Qaeda looms large. According to a recent United Nations report, key al-Qaeda allies have since consolidated power in Afghanistan, providing the group with favorable conditions to evolve. Defense policy researcher and counterterrorism expert, Sara Harmouch, argues “dispelling myths of its decline, al-Qaeda remains a resilient and evolving force, continually refining its methods.” Together in conversation with Museum Director Clifford Chanin, Harmouch discusses the relationship between al-Qaeda and the Taliban, the current standing of al-Qaeda and its affiliates in the region, and what this all means for the U.S. and the complex threat landscape it currently faces.

2023 Public Program Highlight Reel

Public Programs Highlight Reel 2023_Captioned

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s programs are made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.