On Friday, 9 September 2011, U.S. Air Force Major Peter F. Olsen, Commander 426th Air Base Squadron, Stavanger, Norway, held a Remembrance Ceremony at the Squadron's Community Activity Centre, to mark the 10th Anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on America as well as to honour and celebrate the resilience of individuals, families, and communities across the world.
French Army Major General Jean Fred Berger, Commander Joint Warfare Centre, U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Steven J. DePalmer, Chief of Staff, and Norwegian Army Brigadier Gunnar E. Gustavsen, Adviser to Commander Joint Warfare Centre, as well as many other staff attended the solemn Commemoration and Remembrance Ceremony in Jatta. The sequence of events started with a short prayer, which was then followed by remarks from Major Olsen.
"The 10th Anniversary of September 11 is a milestone for the United States; a moment to reflect on the events that took place ten years ago," Major Olsen said in his opening speech.
"Having spent five of the last ten years living in Europe, I know that September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks not only affected my Nation, but changed the world and our relationships in it. Citizens of 90 countries were among the 2,993 souls lost that day. The attacks united us with our fellow democratic Nations against an ideology of radical extremism. As we reflect on the horrific day that marked the beginning of our struggle to better secure the world from these threats, we honour those that died in the attack, the heroic efforts of emergency response personnel and the resilience of the survivors."
The ceremony highlighted that September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States were not a uniquely American event; as in their aftermath the world has witnessed at least a dozen large scale and brutally efficient attacks by extremists throughout Europe and Asia. Most recently, on 22 July 2011, our Host Nation of Norway was attacked by an extremist. The ceremony also underlined that as we confront such senseless and horrific attacks, our commitment to promote and defend the shared values of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect quickly emerge as a common sentiment.
Brigadier General Steven J. DePalmer also provided remarks during the ceremony where he expressed his compassion and solidarity for the victims of the terrorist acts. He also paid tribute to the soldiers in harm’s way dealing with active conflicts, adding that we must also remember and honour those died in the fighting that has followed September 11. Brigadier General DePalmer also challenged the audience to think ahead another 10 years and decide what they can do to help prevent similar attacks.
Recollections of the 9/11 attacks
At the end of the ceremony there was a special presentation about the terror attacks on America a decade ago, which demonstrated extraordinary images as well as the unique memories of some of the Jatta community members on that day. Each slide highlighted how September 11 marked our collective memory and changed the world; they reminded us, as vivid as yesterday, our profound state of horror and disbelief, while uniting us all in remembrance and reflection once again.
9/11: Ten years on
(Written by NATO Headquarters Thursday, 08 September 2011 09:25)
On 11 September 2001, the world watched in shock and horror as New York’s World Trade Center Towers were reduced to rubble by terrorists, using civilian passenger jets as weapons of mass destruction. The day after the attacks, NATO Allies expressed their solidarity with the people of the United States by invoking Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. NATO’s collective defence clause states an attack on one Ally is an attack upon all Allies.
Since the attacks on New York and on the Pentagon a decade ago, the fight against terrorism has been high on the agendas of NATO and the international community. Subsequent attacks in Allied countries and around the world have underlined the global nature of the threat of terrorism, a modus operandi which recognizes no borders, nationalities or religions and which does not distinguish between combatants and innocent civilians.
The attacks were the catalyst for fundamental changes in the Alliance and continue to impact the way it operates today. “This shift proved to be more significant in ensuring NATO’s future relevance than any other change it has undergone in its history,” says Ambassador Gabor Iklody, Assistant Secretary General of NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division.
Over the past decade, the nature of terrorist attacks has evolved with new technologies and changes in the security environment. The unpredictable, cross-cutting nature of emerging 21st century security challenges, such as cyber defence, energy security and weapons proliferation, needs to be addressed in a dynamic way. Strategies must take into account the fact that those who use terror as a means to pursue their aims have the capacity to learn quickly and to adapt their tactics unpredictably.
NATO is committed to confronting the constantly evolving terrorist threat and will review its approach to counter terrorism at the next summit meeting in Chicago in May 2012. An important step has already been taken with the creation of the Emerging Security Challenges Division within NATO Headquarters in August 2010. The move to create a dedicated division shows that Nations recognize the fact that terrorism and other emerging security challenges are often inter-related. For the first time, the Alliance has systematically brought together expertise in non-traditional areas that in the years ahead will increasingly affect the security of the Allies on both sides of the Atlantic.