Stars of Hope a Symbol of Strength in Ukraine

  • June 10, 2022
Four men with cropped dark hair, dressed in military fatigues, one holding a blue and yellow hand-painted wood star, stand against a white brick wall giving "thumbs up." An open box of canned food and supplies is visible in front of them.
Courtesy Dr. Alison Thompson
The Survivor Tree at night, illuminated in blue and yellow
Photo: Jin S. Lee

The Survivor Tree lit blue and yellow in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and our museum colleagues there

On May 18, the 9/11 Memorial pools and plaza remained open late in commemoration of International Museum Day. In solidarity with our museum colleagues in Ukraine, as well as the people of Ukraine, the Survivor Tree was bathed in blue and yellow light and shone as a beacon of our shared resilience. Tied around the railing surrounding the tree were Stars of Hope, hand-painted by 9/11 Memorial & Museum staff members. Once removed, the Stars were then sent to Dr. Alison Thompson, a humanitarian first responder who volunteered as a nurse at the World Trade Center site after the 9/11 attacks. Inspired by her time at Ground Zero, she later founded Third Wave Volunteers, an organization that provides disaster relief around the world. Dr. Thompson is currently on the frontlines in Ukraine, providing medical care to the wounded and training other soldiers to be medics.

The messages of support painted on the Stars provide some comfort to the soldiers and represent our shared values of hope, strength, and resilience. 

By 9/11 Memorial Staff

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