9/11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM COMMEMORATES END OF RECOVERY OPERATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 30, 2024

9/11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM COMMEMORATES THE 22ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF THE RECOVERY OPERATIONS AT GROUND ZERO WITH MAY 30 CEREMONY
Ceremony Honored the Courage and Sacrifice of 9/11 Rescue, Recovery, and Relief Workers and Commemorated Those who Have Died due to 9/11-Related Illnesses and Injuries. To Coincide with the May 30 Anniversary Observance, the Museum Opened a New Installation in Foundation Hall , “Dust: Illness and Advocacy,” Exploring the Impacts of the Toxic Dust that Blanketed City Streets and Coated the Inside of Homes, Businesses, and Schools in the Area

New York, NY – Today, May 30, at 3:30 p.m. on the 9/11 Memorial Glade, a commemoration ceremony was held in observance of the 22nd anniversary of the formal end of rescue, recovery, and relief efforts at Ground Zero on May 30, 2002. This annual program honored all 9/11 rescue, recovery, and relief workers, as well as those who are sick or have died from illnesses and injuries linked to exposure to hazards and toxins in the aftermath of 9/11 at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and recognized the spirit of survivors and members of the downtown community.

The ceremony featured an interagency honor guard, pipes and drums, and the singing of the National Anthem by the Port Authority Police Department. The FDNY also led a moment of silence, followed by remarks from 9/11 community member Catherine McVay Hughes, who led lower Manhattan’s Community Board 1 for over 20 years following the tragedy of September 11, 2001.

To help build further public awareness and understanding of the ongoing story of the environmental impact of the 9/11 attacks, the Museum’s newest installation about 9/11 health effects, Dust: Illness and Advocacy is also newly on view. This installation shares what happened after the towers fell: the bravery and selflessness we saw; the diversity and sheer number of people who have died from or are currently living with illness and trauma because of that; and the advocacy efforts to secure congressional funding for immediate and long-term medical monitoring, research, and treatment programs.

“More than two decades later, the ongoing health impact of 9/11 still deeply affects tens of thousands of individuals from New York and across the country who were in lower Manhattan and the surrounding area in the days and weeks that followed the attacks. These critical rescue, recovery, and relief workers came to our city’s aid in its moment of greatest need," said 9/11 Memorial & Museum President & CEO, Elizabeth L. Hillman. “We are now able to honor the service of these individuals through both our annual commemoration and this new installation, which reveals the long-lasting environmental effects of terrorism as well as the advocacy that led to governmental response.”

“Dust: Illness and Advocacy After 9/11” is a continuation of work that began five years ago with the dedication of the Memorial Glade to help the public better understand the devastating and increasingly tragic health effects of 9/11,” said Museum Director Clifford Chanin. “Through this new installation, we will further educate our visitors, including those too young to remember the attacks or born since, about the continued sacrifice of the brave first responders, construction workers, and countless volunteers who helped paved the way for our city to heal and rebuild. In the process, we also hope to inspire a new generation with powerful stories of citizen activism and advocacy, including survivors and lower Manhattan residents.

This installation showcases protective equipment worn by recovery workers, including masks, boots, respirators, and other associated items. Additionally, the exhibit highlights the years-long lobbying efforts of 9/11 advocates who came together to secure congressional funding for immediate and long-term medical monitoring as well as research and treatment programs.

To learn more the installation and other 9/11 Memorial & Museum programs about9/11 health effects please visit: www.911memorial.org//illness-and-advocacy-after-911. Information is also available about resources for those dealing with 9/11-related illness.

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ABOUT THE 9/11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is the country’s principal institution concerned with exploring 9/11, documenting its impact, and examining its continuing significance. This mission is advanced through commemoration, education, and inspiration. Located on eight of the 16 acres of the World Trade Center site, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum remembers and honors the 2,938 lives lost on September 11, 2001, and February 26, 1993. Through exhibitions, a wide variety of programs, and commemorative events, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum seeks to educate the public – particularly the 100 million Americans born since the attacks or those too young to remember – about the consequences of terrorism and its impact on individuals and communities. Through preserving and sharing stories of resilience, compassion, and courage, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum hopes to inspire individuals to build a more compassionate and secure world. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s programs are made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information or to reserve a ticket to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, please visit 911memorial.org.

MEDIA INQUIRIES
Erin Gaddis | (214) 673-9435 | press@911memorial.org
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