07 December 2001

December 11 Ceremonies to Remember Terror Attacks on U.S.

Washington -- President Bush will lead a ceremony at the White House the morning of December 11 to remember the terrorist attacks on the United States three months earlier and to help ensure that the world never forgets what happened.

At 8:46 a.m. (13:46 GMT) -- the exact moment that the first hijacked commercial liner crashed into the World Trade Center in New York -- the U.S. Marine Band will play the National Anthem and U.S. soldiers will raise high the flags of the more than 80 countries that lost citizens in the attacks. Families of some of the thousands of victims will take part in the event, as will firefighters and police.

Similar remembrance ceremonies will be held at the Pentagon; the site of the World Trade Center in New York, now known as Ground Zero; and a site in rural Pennsylvania.

Minutes after the first plane crash, a second hijacked commercial airliner also veered into the Trade Center, followed by the crash of a third commercial airliner into the Pentagon in the nation's capital, and then a fourth airliner crash in Pennsylvania.

The Pentagon ceremony -- to be led by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld -- will take place at 9:38 am, the exact time that the third hijacked airliner crashed into the Pentagon September 11. Attending that event will be survivors of the attack, construction workers who are rebuilding the part of the Pentagon destroyed by the attack, and family members of the victims.

Ceremonies will also be held across the United States presided over by state governors and city mayors, and President Bush has asked that every U.S. embassy and consulate overseas hold similar ceremonies and has urged other governments to do so as well.

In remarks at the White House December 5, Bush said the United States is encouraging other nations to play their national anthems or appropriate music on December 11 to send a "clear signal to the terrorists" that the United States, its friends and allies, "won't forget what took place" on that day. "We will bring them (the terrorists) to justice. We'll bring them to justice in Afghanistan, and we'll bring them to justice wherever they try to hide. Civilization is at stake," the President said.

Greg Lagana, a White House official with the Coalition Information Center (CIC), said the event is being held to remind people that the fight against terrorism is ongoing.

The CIC was set up recently to help better coordinate information about the war on terrorism. In addition to the White House office, there are branch offices in London and in Islamabad.

"It's easy for a lot of people to think that once the Taliban and al Qaeda are out of power that the struggle against terrorism is over," Lagana said.

President Bush "felt it's important for people to remember that this is a long-term struggle. The reason he wants countries to play their national anthems is because he wants a vocal response to the September 11 attack on mankind," Lagana said. "No, we won't be silent, we won't forget," Lagana said.

The governments of some countries are planning commemorative events in conjunction with the local U.S. embassy, but other countries are holding separate events.

"In some countries the government is doing something fairly large and elaborate, and in other countries they are doing things that are simple and dignified," Lagana said.

Britain, he noted, is planning an event at Number 10 Downing Street, the official residence of Prime Minister Tony Blair, that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is traveling in the region, is expected to attend.

The Czech Republic, he said, is holding its ceremony at the Thank-You America Monument, which commemorates American liberation of Pilsen in World War Two. The U.S. ambassador and the mayor of Pilsen will take part, Lagana said.

In Tibilisi, Georgia, he said, Bolshoi prima ballerina Nina Ananiashvili will perform in a December 11 commemorative event that will be televised and will also include Georgia's president or his representative, Lagana said.

In Riga, Latvia, he said, the prime minister and his cabinet will break from their regularly scheduled cabinet meeting, as they did on September 11, to commemorate the December 11 event at the Freedom Monument in the center of the city.