9/11 Anniversary - September 11 Anniversary 2003

The following is an announcement from 2003.

September 11th, 2003 - 2nd Anniversary of 9/11

MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG AND GOVERNOR GEORGE E. PATAKI ANNOUNCE PLANS TO COMMEMORATE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEPTEMBER 11th ATTACK

"Tribute In Light" Will Return For One Night As Part Of City's Commemoration Activities

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Governor George E. Pataki today announced New York City's plans to commemorate the second anniversary of the September 11th attack. As with last year's commemoration, the City's observance will take place at the World Trade Center site on the morning of Thursday, September 11th. Children will have a large role in this year's ceremony by reading the names of the victims and performing music throughout the program. The ceremony will pause four times - twice to mark the times that each plane hit the towers and twice to mark the times when each tower fell. The first moment of silence will be at 8:46 a.m. and houses of worship citywide will be encouraged to toll their bells at that time. While the names are read, family members will be able to descend the ramp to the lowest level of the site where they may lay flowers. Former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey will join the Mayor and Governor at the ceremony.

At sundown, the "Tribute in Light" will return for one night as a tribute to the memory of those lost and a symbol of the spirit of the great City of New York. The "Tribute in Light" will be brought back each year for one night on September 11th. Details about the evening event will be released in the next few weeks.

"On this September 11th, the hearts and minds of our City, our country and freedom-loving people from around the world, will again turn toward the World Trade Center site," said Mayor Bloomberg. "This will be the second time that we as friends, as families, and as one community, will gather to remember a tragic day which has become synonymous with not only great sorrow and loss, but also courage and resilience. Our intent is to hold a ceremony that is simple and powerful and that honors the memory of those lost, so we can remember and reflect. Forever mindful of the grief still felt by the families, and our desire to honor the heroes of that day, we plan to mark this anniversary as a day of remembrance and pride, but equally as a day on which we turn toward the future. In keeping with that, we will ask our children to take the lead in the ceremony. It is in them that the spirit of our City lives on."

"We will never forget the individual lives that were lost, the tremendous personal sacrifices and the countless acts of heroism that will forever mark September 11, 2001 as a day the world changed forever," said Governor Pataki. "Those heroes will be forever in the hearts and minds of people throughout New York State and around the World. New Yorkers have shown an incredible strength and the ability to unite in the face of tragedy. And on the second anniversary of this fateful day, we will look to our children, through whose eyes we can see the true promise of our State and our nation. And through whose eyes we will continue to see hope and have optimism for a lifetime of brighter days."

An all agency honor guard made up of individuals representing City, State, Federal and non-profit agencies including NYC Fire Department (FDNY), NYC Police Department (NYPD), Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) and representatives of the victim's families will participate in the ceremony. Members of the honor guard will stand for about 30 minutes and then rotate. In addition, the "Art for Heart" canvas made by children who lost loved ones will be on display at the World Trade Center site and that day, community centers in the tri-state area and the family room at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation will open their doors to these children.