The United Nations secretary-general and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth both issued statements marking the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people.
Statement by the United Nations Secretary-General on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States of America:
Today we mark a somber day seared in the minds of millions of people around the world.
A day when nearly 3,000 lives from over 90 countries were taken by terrorists in cowardly and heinous attacks in the United States of America. Thousands more were injured.
On this day, my thoughts are with the victims and their families.
We pay tribute to the survivors, who have had to overcome physical and emotional scars to get on with their lives.
We honor the first responders who put themselves in harm’s way, with many making the ultimate sacrifice, exemplifying the very humanity and compassion that terrorism seeks to erase.
And we remember the solidarity, unity and resolve expressed 20 years ago by the international community, aiming for a future without terrorism.
Today, we stand in solidarity with the people of New York City, the United States of America, as well as all victims of terrorism everywhere around the world. We recommit ourselves to work together to uphold their rights and needs.
Message to the President of the United States by Queen Elizabeth on the 20th anniversary of the attacks on 11th September 2001, released via the royal family’s Instagram account:
As we mark the 20th anniversary of the terrible attacks on 11th September 2001, 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.
My visit to the site of the World Trade Center in 2010 is held fast in my memory. It reminds me that as we honor those from many nations, faiths and backgrounds who lost their lives, we also pay tribute to the resilience and determination of the communities who joined together to rebuild.