11 September 2021 marks the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, an event in which 2,977 people lost their lives. US President Joe Biden advocated togetherness, recalling the victims of the 11 September 2001 attacks in his country.
US President Joe Biden will begin with a ceremony in New York at 08:30 (12:30 GMT) at the site of the World Trade Centre’s Twin Towers.
Biden, while talking about the workers who responded to attacks said, “We honor all those who risked and gave their lives in the minutes, hours, months, and years afterward.”
Biden during his address on Friday said, “No matter how much time has passed, these commemorations bring everything painfully back as if you just got the news a few seconds ago.”
In addition, he also acknowledged the “darker forces of human nature – fear and anger, resentment and violence against Muslim Americans” which took place right after the unfortunate incident of 9/11.
Furthermore, he added, “We learned that unity is the one thing that must never break.”
Queen Elizabeth II (Queen of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth realms) also sent a note to Joe Biden in which she stated that her visit to the World Trade Centre in 2010 will live in her mind.
She said, “My thoughts and prayers, and those of my family and the entire nation, remain with the victims, survivors, and families affected, as well as the first responders and rescue workers, called to duty.”
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also gave his views and said that the attacks failed “to shake our belief in freedom and democracy.”
The attacks
The 9/11 attacks were planned and executed by al-Qaeda from Afghanistan. The suicide attackers seized four US passenger jets two of which were flown into the Twin Towers.
Another plane hit the Pentagon, just outside the US capital of Washington, DC, while a fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers fought back.
President Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, will visit all three sites.
There will be six moments of silence to mark the times when the two World Trade Centre towers were hit and fell, as well as the hours when the Pentagon was attacked and Flight 93 crashed.
The President, who in recent weeks has been severely criticized for the American withdrawal from Afghanistan and for ending an American presence, which began less than a month after the 9/11 attacks, has experienced a very tough period.
Mr. Biden had committed to depart Afghanistan by the 20th anniversary of the assaults and had stated that the Taliban would be unlikely to seize control of the country. However, it is unfortunate that the terrorist organization took control of the capital in less than ten days.
Following the recent loss of Kabul, President Joe Biden has committed to reverse America’s nation-building efforts. If he keeps his commitment, this will go a long way toward stabilizing the Middle East.
Barak Obama on Twitter said, “Today we honor the nearly 3,000 men, women, and children who died on September 11, 2001, and the heroes who have always run towards danger to do what’s right.”
Others also took to Twitter to pay tribute to warriors of the 9/11 attacks.
Billie Jean King said, “Neither a single hero nor the ordinary citizens who lost their lives will ever be forgotten.”
Marc Anthony said, “My heart and prayers are with all the families who lost a loved one and suffered in any way as a result of all the painful events of that day.”
