![In remembrance of those murdered on September 11, 2001 in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, and in appreciation for the courage and selflessness of those who rushed to respond, in many cases at the cost of their own lives. Never forget. In remembrance of those murdered on September 11, 2001 in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, and in appreciation for the courage and selflessness of those who rushed to respond, in many cases at the cost of their own lives. Never forget.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130302174739im_/http://blogs.newzealand.usembassy.gov/ambassador/images/photo0.jpg)
Twin Towers of light shine in tribute under the gaze of Lady Liberty, as the new Freedom Tower rises nearby.
Like other Americans and our friends around the world, today the Embassy paused in silence to mourn the loss of the thousands of people murdered in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania eleven years ago today, and to commemorate the courage and selflessness of those who rushed to respond to the attacks, in many cases at the cost of their own lives.
In an annual event of particular significance to us, my colleague Colin Crosby traveled down to Christchurch to participate in a ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial in Firefighters Reserve. The Memorial contains sculpture crafted from World Trade Center girders gifted to Christchurch by the City of New York on the occasion of the 2002 World Firefighters Games, the first multinational gathering of fire and rescue professionals after the terrorist attacks.