This year 9/11 would mark its sixteenth anniversary in and the attacks are still not forgotten. Americans are still as compassionate about it as they were on that day. Keeping this empathy alive a large role has been played by the ‘The National September 11 Memorial & Museum (also known as 9/11 Memorial and 9/11 Memorial Museum).
In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, this memorial was planned in the remembrance of the thousands of innocent men, women, and children who lost their lives in the brutal attacks. One of the most important goals of 9/11 memorial was to understand and acknowledge the strength and patience of the survivors, and people who volunteered and risked their own lives to save others and everyone who showed consideration towards the victims and dying and the whole of America at its lowest. This memorial is also identification to the spirit of America in spite of the hatred, fear, and ignorance thrown its way.
On September 11, 2011, the tenth anniversary of the attacks, a dedication ceremony was held at the memorial and was opened to the public the following day. Since then, 9/11 memorial has been an attraction for visitors and tourists who come to pay respect and tribute to the lives lost and understand the gravity of one of the most terrifying attacks. One of the main attractions of the memorial is the arrangement of names of the victims who had died in the attacks, etched onto 76 bronze panels surrounding two memorial pools, at the site of the fallen towers grouped by the victim’s relationship with each other. The first level of clustering is of firefighters with firefighters or cops with cops or just pals. The next level is a bit more complex. Providing an emotional impact, the names are arranged to reflect family bonds and friendships who have enjoyed a special relation with each other. Next, the connections are more random for people who hadn’t known each other till that day and yet they died for each other. The arrangement is intricate but provides a much deeper meaning from ground zero to the victims and their families.
Where the rest of America had moved on in a dignified manner from the attacks in 2001, the neighborhood Lower Manhattan to the World Trade Center had spent a decade and a half in the process of healing and recovery. During the attacks after the destruction when the towers had vanished into rubbles, Lower Manhattan was engulfed by the vast dust cloud that followed the collapse of the twin towers. The public health was at risk but in the past sixteen years the area has fought back for life and has been coming back to shape stronger than ever; with growing popularity in media, tech and other firms along with tourism.
The memories of the attacks may make America cringe but the courage and compassion of its countrymen and time have been its strength to never stop and certainly not give up.
By Eyecatchwriter
