On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, New York City marked the occasion with a series of commemorations aimed at both honoring those who lost their lives and educating younger generations about the historic tragedy. City officials dedicated $1 million to programs designed to teach students about the events of that day, recognizing the importance of passing on the memory as firsthand witnesses grow fewer.

The solemn ceremonies brought together a multigenerational audience, reflecting on how different age groups experienced 9/11. Many millennials recalled watching the attacks unfold through television screens in classrooms or witnessing the aftermath from nearby playgrounds enveloped in smoke drifting from lower Manhattan.

For the first time as mayor, Eric Adams attended the official memorial at City Hall, accompanied by notable figures including Vice President JD Vance and former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Three former New York City mayors—Rudy Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg, and Bill de Blasio—also participated in the name-reading ceremony that paid tribute to victims of the attacks.

One of the highlights of the event was a poignant tribute by a young girl who read the name of her grandfather, Kevin Patrick Connors, a 55-year-old military veteran and senior vice president at Euro Brokers Inc., which had offices in the World Trade Center. She spoke on behalf of family members who never had the chance to meet him, expressing that “not a day passes” without remembering him and affirming, “We love you. And I know you’re smiling at us.”

As the city continues to grapple with the legacy of 9/11, these memorials underscore a collective commitment to remember the victims and ensure that the lessons of that day are preserved for future generations.