βDad, itβs already been 25 years. Thereβs not a single day that goes by that I forget you or donβt love you. Iβll remember you forever.β
Memorial ceremonies commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, considered the worst terrorist incident in American history, were strictly observed in various parts of the United States, including Manhattan, New York, on the 11th (local time).
At the 9/11 Memorial Square at Ground Zero, the former site of the World Trade Center (WTC), where the largest number of victims occurred, bereaved families wearing black clothes and white ribbons gathered and called out the names of the 2,983 victims one by one.
The silver bell rang at 8:46 a.m., the exact same time American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the WTC's North Tower 25 years ago.
The noise that had filled the area around the memorial hall a moment ago quieted down for an instant, and the bereaved family members and attendees all bowed their heads.
After the first moment of silence, a memorial performance by world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma continued, and the bereaved family members went up to the podium in pairs and expressed their longing and love by calling out the names of their loved ones.
Bereaved families were also seen everywhere holding signs with the victims' pictures or names in their arms or holding them high. Some people burst into tears while reading the names, and after calming their trembling voices, they continued reading again.
Tulips and roses brought by bereaved families were placed around the sculpture with the names of the victims engraved on it, decorating the memorial plaza.
As 25 years passed, memorials continued to be made by the next generation who did not meet the victims in person or experience the September 11 attacks.
One girl, who was not yet born at the time of the attack, paid tribute to the aunt she had never met, saying: "I am honored to have inherited your name. Please continue to watch over us."
While the victims were being called, the reading was stopped and silence was observed at each time major events occurred 25 years ago, including the crash of the South Tower, the attack on the Pentagon (the Department of Defense building), the collapse of both towers, and the crash of United Airlines Flight 93.
This year, after the names were read, a seventh moment of silence was added for the first time to honor the rescuers, rescue workers, and residents who died from 9/11-related illnesses.
Major figures including Vice President JD Vance, former presidents such as Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, and New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani also attended the memorial service.
Former Mayor Giuliani publicly opposed the attendance of Mayor Mamdani, an Indian Muslim, before the event, but shook hands with Mayor Mamdani at the event.
President Donald Trump attended the memorial ceremony held at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., instead of New York.
There have been reports that the organizers of the New York September 11 Memorial Ceremony do not allow attendees to speak, but President Trump maintained his stance that he would speak at the event, preventing him from attending. However, President Trump recently refuted through social media that he never did such a thing and that it was fake news.
Although the tradition of not allowing politicians to make official speeches was maintained, political messages were sometimes expressed through the mouths of bereaved families.
Terry Strada, who lost her husband in the September 11 attacks, paid tribute to her husband, saying, "I miss you more as the years go by," and then raised her voice, asking, "How can it be 25 years and justice has still not been served for Saudi Arabia's role in your death?"
He claimed that previous US administrations had not properly held Saudi Arabia accountable, and asked Vice President Vance, who was present at the scene, to convey his message to President Trump.
The memorial service on this day was closed to the public and was held mainly for invited guests, including bereaved families, survivors, and rescue workers.
A steel fence about 2.4 meters high was installed around the memorial plaza, and the police checked the invitations and passes of visitors and then went through a security check before allowing them in.
However, an atmosphere of remembrance continued throughout New York.
The American flag was flown at half-mast at public institutions and major facilities, and silent prayers and wreath-layings continued in various places.
After the sun sets, the 'Tribute in Light', two rays of light symbolizing the WTC Twin Towers that collapsed in the terrorist attack, will light up the night sky of Manhattan.
