Remembrance 9/11
by Vy Wen
Six years after 9/11, the vision of the twin towers crumbling is still vivid in our minds.
A total of 2,740 Americans died on that fateful day.
Some 1,609 people lost a spouse or partner and more than 3,051 children lost their parents.
September 11, 2001 will always be a gloomy day in history for all of us.
In response to the events that happened on 9/11, the New Zealand National Party held the second United States/New Zealand Partnership Forum on 9, 10 and 11 September.
The two day Forum organised by the NZ US Council and its Washington-based counterpart the US NZ Council, brough together leaders from American and New Zealand institutions to discuss how economic, political and personal ties can be strengthened between the two countries.
The forum started with a ceremony at Auckland Cathedral in dedication to the victims and rescue workers who lost their lives on the tragic day. MP John Key also recounted his days in New York not long before the attacks took place, and expressed his disbelief that the two towers are now no longer there.
Key acknowledged that since September 11, there has been a surge of modern terrorism. Modern terrorists now have the tools to project hatred across frontiers with lethal consequences. He said that New Zealand and the United States share a common interest in fighting against international terrorism.
Delegates at this important event also discussed our partnership in key areas such as international trade, climate change, The New Zealand/US partnership and the Pacific.
Although most key issues were discussed to reach an understanding and to develop partnership, New Zealand stills stands firm on its refusal to change nuclear legislation, and our support of the Kyoto Agreement, despite disagreeing with the US.
An integral part of the forum was its focus on Pacific issues. Key talks about New Zealand’s great asset of playing a major leadership role in the Pacific; hence more focus needs to be placed on Pacific regions in which we could make the most contribution to future stability in the world.
While most of us from New Zealand had no personal connection with the victims of 2001 terrorist attacks, most of us could not help but be affected by the events that happened worldwide after the attack – the London bombings, the Bali attack and the War on Terrorism.
In New Zealand, we paid tribute to those who died on 9/11 by acknowledging the need to look to the future, and a future with partnership and less violence.