The National Park Service held two major ceremonies Friday at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville in recognition of the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
In the morning ceremony, NPS officials rang bells for each passenger and crew member killed in the Flight 93 crash.
Forty passengers and crew members were on board when Al-Qaeda terrorists took control. The passengers and crew learned of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and fought back against the hijackers.
The plane was headed for Washington D.C., but instead crashed in a field near Shanksville, leading to the death of everyone on board.
Actively remembering
Several speakers in the afternoon ceremony said it's important for Americans to not just remember 9/11, but to actively honor the sacrifices of that day.
“To honor the heroes of Flight 93 and all we lost in New York and at the Pentagon asks more of us than a moment of silence once a year. It asks that we live as they lived in their final minutes. That we look past what divides us and find in our differences the strength to act as one," said Gordon Felt, the brother of Edward Porter Felt, who died on Flight 93.
Gordon Felt also called on the nation to prosecute Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks. A judge recently set a trial date for 2028. Felt said families like his have waited decades for justice.
The younger population doesn't remember 9/11
Several speakers also pointed to the growing population in the United States that was either too young to remember 9/11, or not born yet.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said he’s taking action to make sure the next generation never forgets.
“Earlier today, nearly two million students across Pennsylvania paused for a moment of silence and reflection per a law I signed two years ago, that requires, that mandates a break in this day," Shapiro said.
Shapiro also pointed to education programs that help teachers explain that day and memorial trails throughout the state.
