Shibbir Ahmed, New York — The National September 11 Memorial & Museum will mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with its annual commemoration ceremony in Lower Manhattan, bringing together victims’ families to remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the 2001 attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

Family members will read aloud the names of the 2,983 men, women and children who lost their lives in the two attacks during the ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial. This year’s ceremony will include a new moment of silence honoring people who have died from illnesses or injuries linked to the September 11 attacks and their aftermath.

Seven moments of silence will be observed during the commemoration. They will mark the moments when the World Trade Center towers were struck and collapsed, as well as the attacks on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93. The additional moment of silence will follow the reading of the names and will become a permanent part of the annual ceremony.

The memorial said hundreds of thousands of people participated in rescue, recovery and relief operations following the attacks in New York City, Arlington, Virginia, and Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Many responders and civilians were exposed to hazardous materials and toxins at Ground Zero, contributing to chronic illnesses and deaths in the years since the attacks.

The 25th anniversary comes as more than 100 million Americans are too young to have a personal memory of September 11, according to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. The institution said its education programs have reached more than 20 million students as it works to preserve the history and lessons of the attacks for younger generations.

The annual Anniversary Digital Learning Experience will allow students and teachers around the world to commemorate the anniversary through a 30-minute film featuring first-person accounts of the attacks and their aftermath, followed by a live chat with museum staff.

The museum is also continuing its Never Forget Fund campaign, which supports 9/11 education and efforts to preserve the memory of those who were killed. Chairman Michael R. Bloomberg is matching donations to the fund dollar-for-dollar, up to $25 million.

The annual Tribute in Light installation will return at dusk on September 11, illuminating the New York City skyline with two beams of light representing the footprints of the World Trade Center towers. The lights will remain visible overnight before fading at dawn on September 12.

For the first time, the Tribute in Light will also be featured in a live national broadcast. At 8 p.m. Eastern Time, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, in partnership with Disney Entertainment Television, will present a one-hour special, “9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan.”

The program will be hosted by David Muir, Robin Roberts and Diane Sawyer and will feature performances by Lainey Wilson, Cyndi Lauper and John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting.

The museum will also open a new exhibition, “In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11-Inspired Service,” on September 12. The exhibition will explore the continuing legacy of service inspired by the attacks through firsthand accounts, artifacts and multimedia presentations.

Musical performances during the anniversary commemoration will include Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Jennifer Nettles and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, along with musicians from the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Musica Reginae and The Harlem Chamber Players.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum said it is also inviting journalists who covered the attacks and their aftermath to record and share their personal experiences as part of an effort to preserve the memories of those who witnessed one of the defining events of the 21st century.

The 25th anniversary commemoration is intended not only to remember those killed on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993, but also to preserve the stories of courage, service, resilience and compassion that emerged in the aftermath of the attacks.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York: Twenty-five years have passed since the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. A quarter-century later, the loss of nearly 3,000 lives, the sacrifice of thousands of first responders, and the attacks’ lasting health and social consequences remain deeply embedded in the American memory. This year, New York, Washington and Pennsylvania will mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with a series of commemorations and public events.

Main Commemoration in New York

The main 9/11 commemoration will take place Friday at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza in Lower Manhattan, with family members of the victims participating in the ceremony. The program will begin at 8:40 a.m. and is primarily a private gathering for victims’ families, although the ceremony will be streamed live online.

Family members will read the names of those killed in the 2001 attacks as well as victims of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Moments of silence will mark several key moments of the attacks, including the aircraft impacts, the collapse of the Twin Towers, the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93.

A special moment of silence will also honor those who died in the years following the attacks from 9/11-related illnesses. Vice President JD Vance and other administration officials are expected to attend the New York commemoration. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, will mark the 25th anniversary at the Pentagon instead of attending the New York ceremony.

First Moment of Silence at 8:46 a.m.

At 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2001, the first hijacked aircraft, American Airlines Flight 11, struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The moment will be marked with the first moment of silence during the New York commemoration.

The ceremony will also remember the impact of the second aircraft on the South Tower, the collapse of both towers, the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

A total of 2,753 people were killed in New York, while 184 people died at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Another 40 passengers and crew members were killed when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania.

New Exhibition at the 9/11 Museum

For the 25th anniversary, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York is launching a new exhibition titled “In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11-Inspired Service.”

Opening to the public on September 12, the exhibition will highlight stories of service, sacrifice and humanity over the 25 years since the attacks. It explores how individuals and communities transformed grief into public service and acts of compassion.

The museum is also introducing a new digital educational experience designed to help a new generation understand the history of 9/11 and its long-term impact. According to the museum, nearly 100 million Americans were either not yet born or were too young to remember the attacks. Connecting this generation with the history and legacy of 9/11 is one of the major goals of this year’s anniversary programs.

Trump to Mark Anniversary at Pentagon

In Arlington, Virginia, President Donald Trump is expected to attend and speak at the 25th anniversary commemoration at the Pentagon Memorial. The Pentagon was the third major target of the September 11 attacks. At 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. A total of 184 people were killed, including people inside the building as well as passengers and crew members aboard the aircraft. Vice President Vance will attend the main commemoration in New York.

Pennsylvania Also to Hold Commemorations

At the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania, a commemorative ceremony will take place Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The names of the 40 passengers and crew members aboard Flight 93 will be read, followed by the ringing of the Bells of Remembrance. A second ceremony will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., featuring additional commemorative activities and a public wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial.

New York’s Nighttime “Tribute in Light”

After a full day of remembrance, New York’s skyline will once again be illuminated by the historic Tribute in Light—two powerful beams of light representing the Twin Towers destroyed in the attacks. For the 25th anniversary, a special program titled “9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan” is scheduled to air nationally beginning at 8 p.m. on major television networks and other platforms.

The program will connect audiences across the country with the commemoration in New York and the annual Tribute in Light, bringing the day of remembrance to a national audience.

New Initiative in New York City

As part of this year’s 25th anniversary observance, New York City is officially recognizing September 11 as a Day of Remembrance and Service. The administration of Mayor Zohran Mamdani is emphasizing citywide remembrance, moments of silence, educational programs and volunteer service.

The city has also established a new Continuity and Mission Assurance Team, aimed at ensuring that essential city government operations and services can continue during emergencies while strengthening preparedness and coordination among city agencies.

25 Years Later, the Memory of 9/11 Endures

Twenty-five years later, 9/11 remains far more than a historical event. It continues to shape the security, politics, foreign policy and public health of New York, Washington and the United States as a whole.

This year’s commemorations are therefore not limited to honoring those who were killed. They also recognize first responders, rescue workers, survivors, families who lost loved ones and a new generation born after the attacks. A quarter-century later, the message remains the same: Never Forget.

Shibbir Ahmed, NEW YORK — The 9/11 Memorial & Museum on 31St August Monday unveiled a new exhibition highlighting the enduring legacy of service inspired by the September 11 attacks, as New York prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the tragedy. Titled “In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11-Inspired Service,” the exhibition offers a look at how individuals and communities transformed the aftermath of the attacks into acts of service and public commitment.

The exhibition was previewed for members of the media during a briefing at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in Lower Manhattan. It will open to the public on September 12, 2026, one day after the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

The afternoon program began with remarks from Beth Hillman, President and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, followed by comments from 9/11 family member Logan Miller and Noah Rauch, Senior Vice President of Education and Public Programming.

The museum’s new exhibition comes as New York and the nation prepare for a major commemoration of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The exhibition focuses on the continuing impact of September 11 beyond the immediate loss of life, emphasizing the service and civic engagement that emerged in the years following the attacks.

Museum officials said the exhibition explores the ways people responded to the attacks through service, volunteering and efforts to help others, demonstrating how the legacy of September 11 continues to shape communities a quarter-century later.

Monday’s media program also included a guided preview of the exhibition, giving journalists an early look before its public opening. The museum is also preparing for the 25th-anniversary commemoration on September 11, which will bring families of victims, survivors, first responders and government and community leaders together at the World Trade Center site.

As the anniversary approaches, the museum’s programming is placing particular emphasis not only on remembering those who were killed, but also on the long-term consequences of the attacks and the continuing acts of service inspired by their memory.

The 25th anniversary will mark a quarter-century since the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93. For many families and survivors, the anniversary remains both a day of remembrance and an opportunity to reflect on how the events of September 11 have shaped the lives of subsequent generations. The “In Their Honor” exhibition will open to visitors at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum on September 12.