Patriot Day: why the US remembers the 9/11 attacks each September 11

September 11, 2001, became a day that could never be erased from world history, especially for the United States. On that day, Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four aircraft in America and launched a devastating attack on the world's most powerful nation.

The attacks on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, and a field in Pennsylvania killed nearly 3,000 innocent people. In the disaster and the rescue operation that followed, thousands of ordinary civilians as well as hundreds of firefighters, police officers and emergency medical personnel lost their lives. In memory of these fallen and the innocent victims, the United States observes "Patriot Day", also called the "National Day of Service and Remembrance", every September 11.

The mood across America is solemn and emotional on this day. Under rules set by the US Congress, on the president's order the national flag flies at half-staff from sunrise to sunset at the White House, all federal buildings, military bases and US embassies worldwide. Ordinary citizens are also urged to fly flags at half-staff at their homes. At exactly 8:46 am Eastern Time, a two-minute silence is observed across the country, marking the moment the first hijacked aircraft, American Airlines Flight 11, struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Through this silence, the nation prays for the souls of the innocent victims of the attack.

After the 2001 attacks, Congress passed a bill on December 18, 2001, during the presidency of George W. Bush, declaring September 11 as "Patriot Day". In 2009, the US government also linked the day to the "National Day of Service and Remembrance". As a result, the day is no longer just one of mourning but also one of helping others. Millions of Americans donate blood, distribute food to the poor, clean up their neighbourhoods and offer financial and emotional support to the families of the fallen on this day.

Special ceremonies are held every year at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York, the Pentagon Memorial, and the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania, where the name of every civilian killed in the attacks is read out. At night, two giant beams of light, the Tribute in Light, are projected into the New York sky as a reminder of the fallen Twin Towers. Candles are lit, flowers are laid and songs are sung to honour the courage of those who died.

Patriot Day carries a message for the world: however terrifying terrorism may be, it can never destroy human courage, love and unity. When America was shaken on September 11, 2001, the world saw an unprecedented unity among its people. Firefighters saved others' lives without regard for their own. The day teaches that hatred should be answered not with hatred but with peace, brotherhood and unwavering courage. For America, this day is not just a memory of a wound in its history but a tribute to every soldier and citizen ready to protect the country.