"There are days that changed the world. Days marked by the simple question, "Where were you on September 11, 2001?" And each of us remembers it vividly, because September 11, 2001, is forever etched in our memories.

The fact that on September 10th, 24 years ago, 246 people went to sleep in preparation for their morning flights. 2,606 people went to sleep in preparation for work in the morning. 343 firefighters went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift. 60 police officers went to sleep in preparation for morning patrol. 8 paramedics went to sleep in preparation for the morning shift and that none of them saw past 10:00 am Sept 11, 2001 is engraved on our collective consciousness. 

As every year, we are gathered today, French and American, to pay tribute to the victims of 9/11, at the foot of the Tree of Liberty, in Place des États-Unis, 16th arrondissement of Paris. This young maple tree, which we watch grow together, came from Central Park in New York City.  It was planted in Place des États-Unis a few days after the 9/11 attacks, on the initiative of the former Mayor of the 16th arrondissement, Pierre-Christian Taittinger, and our dear friend and President of the ACVGXVIe, Alain Belissa.

And 24 years later, Americans and French remain united. United in remembrance, united in resilience, and united in our shared belief that freedom, even when tested, will not die. May this tree remind us: our grief has roots, but so does our hope. And from these roots grow the branches of freedom—stronger, broader, and more enduring than any act of destruction.”

~ Katherine de Meaux, Adjointe au Maire chargée des anciens combattants

The Benjamin Franklin Post 605 Paris was honored to represent the VFW at the ceremony. We thank M. le Maire Jeremy Redler, Katherine de Meaux, Adjointe au Maire chargé des anciens combattants et Alain-Jacky Belissa, président du Comité d'Entente ACVG XVI, for their comradeship and continued support.

#neverforget