Sept 11 anniversary commemorated in Budapest

A commemoration was held in Budapest this Sunday to mark the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC. Those gathered in front of the US Embassy were addressed by the American Ambassador Colleen Bell.

In her speech, Ambassador Bell said that September 11 was a day of pointless violence, but at the same time of heroism and solidarity, too. "For me, and for many Americans and people around the world, 9/11 will always be a day that represents humanity at its worst, and humanity at its best; a day when many people experienced senseless violence and tragic, unspeakable loss, but when all of us witnessed the heroism, the generosity, and the compassion that represents the utmost of human good," she pointed out.

She added that commemoration gives strength to face old and new challenges and reinforces a commitment to shared values.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Hungarian interior minister Sándor Pintér stressed that September 11 weighs heavy upon countries around the world, and we must prevent a similar incident from happening again. We must unite our forces to stop terrorist organisations from jeopardising democracy.

He added that the democracies of the world must give an adequate response through international cooperation, and by making available the legal framework that is necessary for prevention. At the same time, the intelligence services must keep track of any changes, and must prevent terrorist attacks. “The trust of our citizens, and the blood of our heroes compel us to do so”, he said.

The commemoration was attended by Dan Daily, retired head of New York’s Fire Department, who had participated in rescue operations at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.