The September 11 attacks changed the face of global security forever, but Fiji must use the painful memory of the tragedy to strengthen its commitment to peace, Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua said.
Speaking at the United States Embassy in Suva today, during a commemoration marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Mr Tikoduadua said the world was never the same after 9/11.
“The world was never the same after 9/11, and so many things have happened,” he said.
“But I think it’s also, while it is painful, it should also, you know, strengthen our conviction, to always make sure to work for peace, to live in peace.”
“That is what the world deserves, and our children deserve that.”
Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Somer Bessire-Briers said the ceremony honoured the 2,977 lives lost and those who responded to the attacks.
“On this solemn anniversary, we pause to honor the 2,977 innocent lives lost across New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania,” she said.
“After September 11, people reached across borders, languages, religions, and cultures to say something very simple: We are with you. You are not alone.”
Acting Defence Attaché Major Clayton Shive said the victims came from more than 90 nations.
“On September 11, 2001, it wasn’t only Americans that lost their lives in the attack on the twin towers,” he said.
“Among the lost were citizens of more than 90 nations – a solemn reminder that it was not an attack on one country alone, but an attack on the shared futures and shared values of free people everywhere.”
The attacks involved four hijacked aircraft, two of which struck New York’s Twin Towers, while another hit the Pentagon and a fourth crashed in Pennsylvania.
Twenty-five years later, victims are remembered at Ground Zero, where their names are etched around reflecting pools marking the former towers.
The annual Tribute in Light, twin blue beams above lower Manhattan, has become a symbol of remembrance and resilience.
