On Saturday, the cities of Long Beach and Signal Hill joined together for “A Celebration of Peace and Unity” for the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
City officials were joined by the chiefs of both Long Beach and Signal Hill fire and police departments as they listened to religious leaders from the city.
The event was at the Unity Memorial in Signal Hill which was unveiled in 2002 by sculptor Patrick Vogel. It is made of five different metals and faces east as a tribute to all of those lost due to the attacks.
“As we look out over this view [from the Unity Memorial], we are reminded that the world can and does change in mere seconds, and in a blink of an eye,” Signal Hill Mayor Edward H. J. Wilson said during his opening remarks at the event. “As soon as I saw the second plane crash into the building, I knew immediately, as we all know now, that the world had changed forever.”
The Signal Hill Police Honor Guard then presented the U.S. and California flags during the playing of the national anthem.
Religious leaders from throughout the Long Beach and Signal Hill Communities joined to speak to the attendees and share their memories of the day.
Imam Tarek Mohammed, head of the Long Beach Islamic Center, reflected on the events of 9/11 and the effect on his community saying, “September 11, I still remember that day, when the airplanes slammed into the building, and they said somebody hijacked the airplane. Does he know he was hijacking, at the same time, my own faith, my own teaching, and my own religion?”
Reverend Jane Gould of Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church was living in Boston at the time and spoke about how the east coast responded to the attacks.
“Many of us remember where we were 20 years ago this morning,” Gould said. “We might remember what we had planned to do that day. But we surely remember images of smoke, fire, wreckage and horror that filled our day. Images of first responders racing into burning collapsing buildings without thought to their own lives, but only that they might find someone still alive.”
After the speakers finished, white doves—which are recognized by many cultures as a symbol of peace—were released while singer Paige Williams sang “Amazing Grace.”
“If we have love for each other, if we have compassion for each other, if we look to unite, and do those things that we all have in common, we will all prosper,” Wilson said at the conclusion of the event.
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