Mexico City, September 11, 2023 – It has been 22 years since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the loss and pain has not diminished.
For the families and loved ones of the 2,977 innocent people who were killed that day, there are still empty chairs at birthday parties and family dinners, unrealized promises, unfulfilled plans. For the rest of us, the memories of the international tragedy have not subsided, and the 22 years that separate us from that bleak day may do so in time, but not in emotion. The people of the United States are still united in grief. This is a day to honor and acknowledge that unity.
We are united as well with our friends and neighbors in Mexico, and this is also a day to acknowledge that, as well. We are linked on this anniversary in so many profound ways, from the Mexican citizens among those tragically lost, to the people of Mexico’s courageous efforts to assist us in the heartbreaking aftermath, to the steady resolve with which Mexico stood beside us in the years since. This resolve, like our grief, has not dissipated with time.
And so, in addition to the grief and recollection that fills our hearts today, it is also right to thank the people of Mexico for their fixed partnership, on that fateful day, during the 22 years that have followed, and in the future as we together chart a way forward.