Friday came and went by for Fijians, accompanied by an event that has left an indelible impression on the minds of millions of people around the world.
There are such moments in time when you can tell exactly where you were. Operation “London Bridge is down” was reportedly the way in which the death of Queen Elizabeth II would have been communicated to the British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, by the Queen’s Private Secretary.
Aside from that, according to international media reports, the Queen’s death in Scotland also triggered a series of carefully constructed ceremonial and constitutional procedures, as Britain continues its period of national mourning.
While the long-established plan for the Queen’s death is code-named Operation London Bridge, we learn that a lesser-known plan called Operation Unicorn is taking place to transport her body from Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Such events capture the imagination of millions of people. They become an integral part of our lives, forever inching out memories we associate with history. As the British people and millions around the world mourn the death of the Queen, we remember another memorable event that shocked the world.
It connects New York City in the United States, to a horrific episode. Yesterday marked an important day in world history.
New York was, and is still for many people around the world, part of the big American dream.
It’s the land of opportunity, the Big Apple! For those who don’t know this, Manhattan is the smallest and most densely populated borough of New York City.
It is a city that captures the imagination, and stirs the emotions of millions of people around the world for many reasons. On a bright and sunny day a few years ago in downtown Manhatten, I remember the temperature sat at 9 degrees Celsius.
There was some comfort from the sun as it inched its way over the city that particular morning.
In fact it can get very cold in parts of New York that the locals say never sees sunlight because they are caged in by skyscrapers.
Manhattan had blossomed into a city of diverse cultures, and ethnicity, and upwards! New Yorkers are passionate about references to their city as the economic engine-room of America, and there is deep meaning in the ‘New York minute’.
I remember discovering that the city actually stretched from the lower East end to the upper edges of Manhattan, roping in Harlem.
New York is a city that never sleeps, where immigrants have travelled across the world, to churn out a living.
Yesterday marked a traumatic past in its history. Yesterday, millions of people who were impacted by the events of September 11, 2001, aside from acknowledging America’s economic progress, would have reflected on a turn of events that changed the world forever. It has defined the city.
Every year since the collapse of the Twin Towers in 2001, the people of New York remember the nearly 3000 people who perished that day when two aircraft crashed into the towers.
The scenes of horror that day are forever in history, a constant reminder of the frightening reach of global terrorism.
New York has been kind to the memories of those killed that day. The memorial on Ground Zero is apt as it is powerful.
It stands as a reminder of the horrific scenes, the fear, uncertainty, pain and frustration that tugged at the hearts and minds of millions of people around the world.
The names of the victims are on stone around the reflecting pools that sit on Ground Zero in place of the collapsed towers.
Again, we choose to remember the fallen. We are reminded to stand up against terrorism. We are reminded to stand up for what is right, and for justice!
We are reminded to be brave in the face of insurmountable odds, and have compassion for mankind.
May there be peace on Earth! We remember!
