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20th anniversary PSA

Twenty Years Later

Despite our shared grief in the aftermath of 9/11, hope, resilience, and unity lifted us up as a nation. Twenty years later, these lessons are more important than ever.

Today, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum stands as a beacon of healing and renewal – a physical embodiment of the compassion we showed to one another, the resolve we demonstrated to the world, and how, in the face of unfathomable loss, we rose as one. During this 20th anniversary year, we will share the history and lessons learned with a new generation, teach them about the ongoing repercussions of the 9/11 attacks, and inspire the world with memories of our fortitude, strength, and resilience. Below is a selection of some of the events and related 20th-anniversary content we have planned to mark this milestone.

September 11, 2001 Commemoration

A small American flag and a hand-written note have been placed at a victim’s name on a bronze parapet at the Memorial. The note is written on a piece of cloth and reads “Grandpa.” Water cascades down a lit reflecting pool in the background.
Photo by Ben Hider

Each year on the anniversary of 9/11, the families of victims gather for a ceremony on the 9/11 Memorial plaza to read aloud the names of the 2,983 men, women, and children killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks and February 26, 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Six moments of silence mark the times when each of the World Trade Center towers was struck, when each tower fell, and the times corresponding to the attack at the Pentagon, and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

The Never Forget Fund

never forget fund logo

The Never Forget Fund is a newly launched fundraising campaign to support the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s educational programs and preserve its significance as a sacred place of remembrance, reflection, and education.

Anniversary in the Schools Webinar

In this photograph a man stands in profile before a boom mic and set lights during the Anniversary in the Schools webinar filming
PHOTO BY MEREDITH KETCHMARK

Join students and teachers from around the world to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 by registering for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s free Anniversary in the Schools program. View a film highlighting first-person accounts of the attacks and their aftermath and connect with Museum staff in real-time through an interactive live chat. The 30-minute program will be available on-demand beginning Friday, September 10, 2021.

Tribute in Light

Night time on the Memorial plaza with the tribute in light illuminated in the background
Photo by Jin S. Lee

In addition to the Tribute in Light, the annual public art installation that illuminates the sky above New York City from dusk on September 11 to dawn on September 12, this year we will host Tribute in Lights, a citywide initiative in partnership with NYC & Company which brings together cultural institutions, corporate buildings, and landmarks across New York City that participate by lighting up their facades and spires in Memorial blue.