9/11 Memorial & Museum to Mark 25th Anniversary of Attacks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 10, 2026

9/11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM TO MARK 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 TERRORIST ATTACKS

New Moment of Silence Will Honor Those Who Have Died from 9/11-Related Illnesses or Injuries at Conclusion of the Reading of the Names

With a Third of the Country Too Young to Remember 9/11, Memorial & Museum Education Programs Reach More Than 20 Million Students, Supported by The Never Forget Fund

First-Ever Live Broadcast Event Takes the Iconic Public Art Installation Tribute in Light Into Homes Across America to Inspire a New Generation with Stories of Resilience and Service

New York, NY – The National September 11 Memorial & Museum will mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with its annual commemoration ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan. Family members of victims of the 2001 attacks and the February 26, 1993 World Trade Center bombing will gather to read aloud the names of the 2,983 men, women, and children who were killed and honor their loved ones.

The ceremony will pause for seven moments of silence, acknowledging when each of the World Trade Center towers was struck and fell, the times corresponding to the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93, and an additional moment of silence being observed for the first time this year to honor all who have died from 9/11-related illness or injuries since the attacks.

Musical performances will include Jennifer Nettles, Yo-Yo Ma, and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. Additional musical accompaniment will be provided by Ben Pila, Emi Ferguson, Coleman Itzkoff, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Musica Reginae, and The Harlem Chamber Players, along with music director and pianist Adam Rothenberg and vocalists Emily Fink and Naomi Serrano.

A livestream of the 9/11 commemoration ceremony will be shown in its entirety at 911memorial.org/live. Photos for media use will be uploaded here beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

Additional background and information about the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is available in the institutional backgrounder.

“Twenty-five years later, the responsibility to remember 9/11 – and share the stories of sacrifice and heroism that inspired the world – has not diminished. In City Hall, we vowed to bring Lower Manhattan back stronger than ever, and its comeback is a testament to the resilience that carried our city and country forward. As the history of 9/11 continues to pass from those who lived it to those who learned it, our vow to Never Forget takes on new meaning – and requires us to preserve the stories and lessons of 9/11 for generations to come,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, Chairman of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Three-Term Mayor of New York City.

“Twenty-five years after 9/11, we remain steadfast in our responsibility to remember the 2,983 people who were killed by the attacks in 2001 and 1993, and to ensure their stories live on. As more people come of age with no memory of that day, this anniversary is an important moment to come together, reflect on how 9/11 changed our country, and reaffirm our shared promise to never forget,” said Beth Hillman, President and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

“For so many families, returning to this place and hearing the names of our loved ones—including my husband, David—is a powerful reminder that they will never be forgotten. Soon, those who witnessed 9/11 will be outnumbered by generations who know that day only through the names we read aloud, the names etched in bronze on the Memorial, and the stories preserved in the Museum. That is how we ensure that those we lost remain more than history,” said Paula Grant Berry, 9/11 Family Member and 9/11 Memorial & Museum Founding Trustee.

Additional Moment of Silence to Honor Those Lost to 9/11-Related Illnesses or Injuries
In the aftermath of the attacks, hundreds of thousands of men and women from across the nation and around the world responded and participated in the rescue, recovery, and relief operations in New York City; Arlington, Virginia; and Somerset County, Pennsylvania. At Ground Zero, it was an unprecedented effort first to search for victims and then to remove nearly two million tons of debris amid fires that burned for over 100 days, leaving those who responded and the many civilians in the surrounding area exposed to hazards and toxins that resulted in chronic illnesses and the death of thousands.

Following the reading of the names, an additional moment of silence will be observed to remember those who have died from 9/11-related illness and injury. The observance will become a permanent part of the annual commemoration ceremony.

Reaching a New Generation
More than 100 million Americans are too young to remember 9/11, making the 25th anniversary an especially important moment to honor those killed, remember how Americans came together in the aftermath, and educate a new generation without a lived memory of the attacks.

As part of this effort, the annual Anniversary Digital Learning Experience will give students and teachers around the world the opportunity to commemorate the anniversary through a 30-minute film featuring first-person accounts of the attacks and their aftermath, along with a live chat with Museum staff throughout the day.

People across the country and around the world can also participate in Remember the Sky on September 11 by sharing a photo of the sky with a personal, commemorative message. Inspired by Spencer Finch’s artwork in the Museum’s Memorial Hall, Trying to Remember the Color of the Sky on that September Morning, the annual social media activation recalls the remarkably clear blue sky on the morning of the attacks and provides a way to take part in active remembrance from anywhere.

The Museum is also marking the 25th anniversary through The Never Forget Fund, a campaign bringing Americans together to affirm the promise to never forget those killed and support 9/11 education for future generations. 9/11 Memorial & Museum Chairman Michael R. Bloomberg is matching donations to The Never Forget Fund dollar for dollar, up to $25 million.

Tribute in Light and First-Ever Broadcast Special
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s Tribute in Light will return at dusk on September 11, as a tribute to all those who were killed on 9/11 and in recognition of New York City’s resilience. The lights will remain visible through the night before fading away at dawn on September 12.

At 8 p.m. ET, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, in partnership with Disney Entertainment Television, will present “9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan,” a one-hour multiplatform live special hosted by “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir, “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts and anchor Diane Sawyer, with performances by Lainey Wilson, Cyndi Lauper, and John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting from the base of the iconic beams.

Exhibition to Open About 9/11’s Legacy of Service
On September 12, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum will open “In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11-Inspired Service,” a new special exhibition examining the enduring impact of service inspired by the attacks. Through firsthand accounts, artifacts, and multimedia storytelling, the exhibition will highlight the ways individuals and communities transformed grief into action and how the legacy of 9/11 continues to shape lives and choices 25 years later.

Journalists Can Share Their Stories
As part of the 25th anniversary, the Museum is also inviting journalists who witnessed or covered 9/11 and its aftermath to share their experiences through self-recorded submissions. The recordings will capture reflections from reporters and correspondents who documented the attacks and their lasting consequences, including how those experiences shaped their work and lives in the years that followed. Journalists can participate remotely through the Museum’s partner platform, TheirStory.

ABOUT THE 9/11 MEMORIAL & MUSEUM
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is dedicated to 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 2,983 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 them – about the consequences of terrorism and its impact on individuals and communities. By 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.

For more information or to reserve a ticket to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, please visit 911memorial.org.

ABOUT THE BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS
Brooklyn Youth Chorus is a Grammy Award-winning ensemble, led by Founder & Artistic Director Dianne Berkun Menaker, recognized for stretching the artistic boundaries of youth chorus for over three decades. Its choristers perform on the world's most renowned stages, including three appearances at Carnegie Hall in a single season, Madison Square Garden with Joe Hisaishi, and the United Nations. The Chorus regularly collaborates with an impressive range of organizations and artists, such as the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic (with Gustavo Dudamel), The National, Wye Oak, Bon Iver, Sir Elton John, and Davóne Tines. 

As a bold commissioner of new music, the Chorus has introduced more than 140 original works and world premieres by contemporary composers like Pulitzer Prize-winners Caroline Shaw, Tania León, David Lang, and visionary Philip Glass. The Chorus has a strong reputation as a producer of original works, including the impactful “Silent Voices” series and “Black Mountain Songs.” In May 2025, the Chorus premiered “Port(al)”—a new, evening-length, site-specific choral theater work co-created by Dianne Berkun Menaker, Paola Prestini, Jad Abumrad, and Jessica Grindstaff—which transformed the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard into a vibrant canvas for immersive storytelling. Founded in 1992, Brooklyn Youth Chorus has reached over 10,000 students, serving 600 students each year in its after-school and public-school programs.

ABOUT YO-YO MA
Yo-Yo Ma’s multi-faceted career is testament to his belief in culture’s power to generate trust and understanding. Whether performing new or familiar works for cello, bringing us together to explore culture’s role in society, or engaging unexpected musical forms, Yo-Yo seeks to foster connections that reinforce our humanity.

Yo-Yo and his creative team at Sound Postings collaborate with partners around the globe to develop and produce initiatives that advocate for a world guided by humanity, curiosity, and connection. Their recent projects include a six-continent tour of Bach’s cello suites exploring how culture strengthens communities today, and “Our Common Nature, a journey celebrating the ways that culture can reconnect us to the natural world. Both endeavors reflect Yo-Yo’s lifelong commitment to stretching the boundaries of genre and tradition to ask how music can help us imagine and build a better future.

Yo-Yo was born in 1955 to Chinese parents living in Paris. He began to learn cello with his father at age four and three years later moved with his family to New York City, where he continued his studies at The Juilliard School before pursuing a liberal arts education at Harvard.

He has received numerous awards, including the Avery Fisher Prize (1978), the National Medal of the Arts (2001), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2010), Kennedy Center Honors (2011), the Polar Music Prize (2012), and the Birgit Nilsson Prize (2022). Among other roles, Yo-Yo is a United Nations Messenger of Peace, a member of the board of Nia Tero, an organization supporting the role and influence of Indigenous Peoples, and the founder of the global music collective Silkroad. He has performed for ten American presidents.

His discography of more than 120 albums (including 20 Grammy winners) ranges from iconic interpretations of the Western classical canon to recordings that defy categorization, such as “Hush” with Bobby McFerrin and the “Goat Rodeo Sessions” with Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile. Yo-Yo’s recent releases include “Six Evolutions,” his third recording of Bach’s cello suites; “Merci” with pianist Kathryn Stott; and “Beethoven for Three: Symphony No. 3 ‘Eroica’ and Leonore Overture No. 3,” the fifth in a series of Beethoven recordings with pianist Emanuel Ax and violinist Leonidas Kavakos.

ABOUT JENNIFER NETTLES
Jennifer Nettles is a GRAMMY-winning, Emmy-winning superstar entertainer on multiple platforms. She most recently authored and starred in the original musical Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo at the Perlman Arts Center in Lower Manhattan. She also co-starred in Amazon Prime’s series The Bondsman, alongside Kevin Bacon and returned seasonally in the HBO hit series The Righteous Gemstones as series favorite, Aimee-Leigh. Her film credits include Blumhouse’s new take on The Exorcist and a powerful and provocative performance in Focus Features’ Harriet Tubman biopic. Upcoming releases include the Netflix thriller Heartland alongside Jessica Chastain, slated for late 2026.

Musically, she recently earned an Emmy for Best Original Song for “Life is Sweet” featured in PBS’ American Anthems. Her latest solo album Always Like New is a genre-defying collection of American songbook classics. As half of the multi-platinum Country duo Sugarland, she just completed touring with Little Big Town, and is headlining a 26 arena tour this fall.

Sugarland’s song “Stay,” written solely by Jennifer, was a platinum No. 1 hit which earned her two GRAMMY Awards for Best Country Song as writer and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group. Nettles also earned a third GRAMMY for her collaboration with Bon Jovi on “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.” Her other achievements in music include five ASCAP awards, six ACM Awards, five CMA Awards, the Human Rights Campaign’s Ally for Equality Award, and the Artist Impact Award from Lincoln Center. Her Broadway credits include her debut as Roxie Hart in the legendary production of Chicago in 2015, and most recently, starring as Jenna in the smash-hit musical Waitress

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MEDIA INQUIRIES
Garrett Levine | (954) 464-4015 | press@911memorial.org