On September 11, 2001, I was just four years old in Fiji, far from the financial district of lower Manhattan in New York. I have vivid memories of watching the breaking news coverage of the events that shook the world that day. My parents and grandparents often discussed the 9/11 terror attacks, recalling the crash into the World Trade Center that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent people, including first responders.
My late grandmother was particularly affected, becoming emotional while watching news reports about the victims. It felt as if she had lost family members in those attacks. The crash of the twin towers made international headlines, and the constant news coverage remained present in our household for months and even years following the tragedy. These early experiences instilled in me a strong desire to understand the impact of 9/11 on world history.
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists from the extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes, crashing two into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The violent events led to the collapse of the Twin Towers, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people from 93 different nations. The third plane hit the Pentagon, killing 184 civilians and service members. Passengers on the hijacked fourth plane, Flight 93, fought back, leading to the aircraft crashing into a field in Pennsylvania, resulting in 40 fatalities.
Fast forward to September 1, 2024, twenty-three years later, I found myself in New York through the International Visitors Leadership Programme hosted by the U.S. Department of State. My colleague and I made it a priority to visit the 9/11 memorial in lower Manhattan. We set out from our hotel around 11 a.m., driving towards the iconic site.
As we arrived, we were greeted by tourists from around the world, all there to pay their respects. The memorial features two large pools, sitting in the footprints of the former North and South Towers, each containing North America’s largest manmade waterfalls, descending 30 feet into a square basin. The water cascades further into a central void, representing “absence made visible,” according to the memorial’s architect, Michael Arad. The sound of the flowing water creates a serene atmosphere, separate from the city’s hustle and bustle.
Walking through the memorial, I felt a weight on my heart as I read the names inscribed on bronze parapets, commemorating the 2,983 individuals who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks. Among them was the name of Rahma Salle, who was on American Airlines Flight 11, seven months pregnant. She and her unborn child died when Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower.
The memorial plaza also features a unique Callery pear tree, known as the Survivor Tree, which was discovered in October 2001 after the events of 9/11. Severely damaged but managed to survive, the tree was cared for by the New York City Parks and Recreation Department, eventually returning to the site in 2010 as a symbol of resilience.
Visiting the 9/11 Memorial for the first time was profoundly emotional, allowing me to appreciate the immense loss brought by the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Each name engraved in the bronze panels represented a life cut short and a story untold. The depth of loss was palpable.
As I explored the museum, I encountered personal artifacts and testimonies that illustrated the events of that fateful day, showcasing stories of bravery from first responders and the heartbreak of those who lost loved ones. The visit was not merely a tour of a memorial but rather a journey into the heart of a global tragedy, emphasizing the legacy of September 11 and its lasting influence on our world.