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The United States is marking the 25th anniversary of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on Friday, with memorials and remembrance ceremonies taking place across the country to honor the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks.
In New York City, the national September 11 memorial and museum will hold its annual commemoration ceremony, with the families of victims gathering at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza and reading aloud the names of those killed in the 9/11 attacks and in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
The 25th commemoration ceremony will begin at 8:30am local time. Seven moments of silence will be observed throughout the ceremony, marking the times when each of the towers was struck and fell, as well as the times of the attack on the Pentagon in Arlington county, Virginia, and the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, “and to honor those who lost their lives to 9/11-related illness and injury in the years since”, according to the museum.
Current and former New York City leaders and other political figures are also expected to attend the ceremony, including the city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
The New York Times reported this month that former president Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden, as well as former presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton, and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, are also expected to attend.
Donald Trump is expected to commemorate the anniversary at the Pentagon, where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed after being hijacked. JD Vance is expected to attend the New York ceremony.
On Wednesday night in New York City, a drone show featuring 2,977 lights, one for each person killed in the attacks, illuminated the skies over New York Harbor, before forming the outline of the twin towers.
Friday’s memorial ceremonies come just days after the Mamdani administration released more than 170,000 documents related to the health concerns, air quality and city’s response to the attacks, including records suggesting that New Yorkers were misled about the safety of the air quality after the attacks.
Also on Friday morning, New York City firefighters are scheduled to hold a ceremony at the FDNY firefighters memorial on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to honor the 343 members of the department who lost their lives on September 11.
In Virginia, the national 9/11 Pentagon memorial will be closed to the public from 3am through noon on Friday for the Pentagon’s 25th anniversary 9/11 observance ceremony, with the exception of any victim’s families, survivors or survivor’s families.
In Pennsylvania, a ceremony is also planned at the Flight 93 national memorial, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed after being hijacked. The morning observance will include a reading of the names of the passengers and crew members, followed by the ringing of the bells of remembrance. The afternoon ceremony is set to feature “remarks, keynote speakers, music and concludes with a public wreath-laying ceremony at the Wall of Names”, according to the National Park Service.
On Saturday, another ceremony will take place at the Flight 93 national memorial, where 40 candle lanterns will be carried to the Wall of Names and placed beneath the names of each passenger and crew member.
Additional ceremonies and memorial events are scheduled on Friday across the country as communities mark 25 years since the attacks.
