It has been twenty-two years since September 11, 2001, a day the world will never forget. On this day, families and friends lost 2,983 souls in the attacks on our Country. By hosting commemorative events, we hope to pay tribute to the victims and their memory, through collection, preservation and exhibition of materials and digital artifacts. Here are just a few thoughtful ways to spend September 11th in 2023.
22nd Anniversary Commemoration on the 9/11 Memorial Plaza ~ September 11
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum leads the nation, and the world, in marking the anniversary of the day that changed our lives forever.
The 22nd anniversary commemoration ceremony will take place on the Memorial plaza and focus on an in-person reading of the names by family members. Throughout the ceremony, we will observe six moments of silence, acknowledging when each of the World Trade Center towers was struck and fell and the times of the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93.
Tribute in Light ~ September ~ September 11
Tribute in Light is a commemorative public art installation first presented six months after 9/11 and then every year thereafter, from dusk to dawn, on the night of September 11. It has become an iconic symbol that both honors those killed and celebrates the unbreakable spirit of New York.
Annual Ringing of St. Paul’s Chapel ‘Bell of Hope: Prayers for Peace and Reconciliation ~ September 11
St. Paul’s Chapel will hold its annual morning bell services followed by Prayers for Peace. Bell of Hope: Prayers for Peace and Reconciliation takes place from 8:46am to 9:00am. The bell was a gift from London to New York City a year after the attacks. You can join in on Facebook Live if you can’t attend.
The FDNY Memorial Wall at 10 House on Liberty Street, the firehouse across from the site of the World Trade Center
The FDNY Memorial Wall stands 56-foot-long and six-foot-high bronze bas relief bolted to the side of the firehouse. This gift from the law firm Holland & Knight memorializes the 343 firefighters who lost their lives in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.
9/11 Heroes Run ~ September 10
The 9/11 Heroes Run 5K welcomes runners, ruckers, and walkers of all ages and fitness levels to honor the heroes of 9/11 and those who’ve served our nation since. We activate and unite communities and empower local veterans, active duty, first responders, and families of the fallen.
Started in 2007 by the family of fallen 1st Lt. Travis Manion as a grassroots run in his hometown Doylestown, PA, with 300 runners, the 9/11 Heroes Run now has race locations around the world, presence in different states across the country, and unites many thousands of people yearly to celebrate heroes and spread awareness. Race proceeds are used to directly support the Travis Manion Foundation’s mission to empower the nation’s veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations and to strengthen communities.
Visit The Survivor Tree on the Memorial Plaza
Almost a month after the 9/11 attacks, a survivor was found in the ruins. Extensively damaged with its roots and limbs snapped and its trunk blackened and burned, rescue and recovery workers pulled a Callery pear tree from the rubble. The tree was placed in the care of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and was nursed back to health. In 2010, the tree was brought to the 9/11 Memorial site. Now known as the Survivor Tree, today the tree stands next to the South Pool as a living reminder of resilience, survival and hope.
Visit The Sphere
The Sphere, a 25-foot, bronze sculpture by German artist Fritz Koening called the World Trade Center Plaza its home since 1971, before Tower 2 was even complete. The Sphere miraculously survived the 9/11 devastation, recovered from the rubble, and was moved several times before returning to its current location, back home to the 9/11 Memorial site.
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church & National Shrine at World Trade Center
With a rich history dating back to the early 1900s, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was completely destroyed during the September 11, 2001 attack, when the South tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. Vowing to rebuild, the dedicated congregation began the overwhelming task, and the Church held its Consecration on July 4th, 2022.
Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center in The World Trade Center Complex
The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center nears completion as part of the final component of the rebuilt 16-acre World Trade Center site.
Revisiting the 9/11 Tiles for America in Greenwich Village
On September 12th, 2001, pictures of lost loved-ones were hung on a chain linked fence in Greenwich Village, with the hope that they would be found. Along-side these pictures were ceramics shaped angels, handprinted with patriotic symbols. Over the next weeks and months, the ceramic tiles on the fence grew ~ and eventually they were saved and placed permanently in a small triangular park in Greenwich Village.
Live coverage of Memorial Ceremonies in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. will be on NY1, NBC, CBS, and ABC.
Flight 93 ~ September 11th Observance at the Memorial Plaza
Memorial Service will be live-streamed on the Flight 93 National Memorial Facebook Page. This ceremony honors the actions of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
Dedicated on Sept. 11, 2008, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial is a beautiful open space shaded by 85 crape myrtle trees. The memorial contains 184 memorial units: benches surrounded by a lit water pool, each engraved with the name of a deceased service member or civilian. These benches honor all those who died at the Pentagon during the attack, including passengers on American Airlines Flight 77, which terrorists hijacked and crashed into the building.
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