On Monday, September 11, American International College student volunteers placed flags around the Quadrangle at 8:46 a.m. in remembrance of those who lost their lives from the 9/11 attacks. The flags have become a yearly tradition at AIC, as student volunteers have stepped up to pay their respects year after year.

At 10:10 a.m., Father John McDonagh spoke before the campus community in front of the Schwartz Campus Center.

Students and faculty members all observed and listened to his guiding words. There was no way to explain this tragedy that happened, but we all bowed our heads and had a moment of silence for all those who had been affected by the attack.

The September 11 attacks were a series of four coordinated attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda. The attacks killed 2,996 people and injured over 6,000. The deaths of adults in the attack resulted in 3,000 children losing a parent. The attacks had an immediate effect on the American people, and we saw an increase in patriotism. People had more of a focus on home life and time spent with family.

McDonagh’s words drove the memories home.

“We were shocked from the attack, which responded in war in terror,” McDonagh said.

After the attack, tens of thousand of Afghans attempted to flee Afghanistan in fear of a response from the United States.

“I think we can learn from the war… In a global village, we are bound to have disagreements,” McDonagh said.

The world in not always a perfect place, however, we are bound to have issues but none should be taken to the extent of such terror like on September 11.

On the day of the attacks, then New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, stated, “we will rebuild. We’re going to come out of this stronger than before, politically stronger, economically stronger. The skyline will be made whole again.”

In the days following, memorials and vigils were held, and photographs of the deceased were posted around Ground Zero. A witness said she was “unable to get away from the faces of innocent victims who were killed. Everything reminded [her] of a huge funeral. Before, New York gave [her] a cold feeling; now people [were] reaching out to help each other.”

Those who lost loved ones grieved, and the whole world was right beside them. No one ever saw this coming, and never thought people in this world were filled with so much hatred and terror.

This year at AIC, sixteen years later, we came together as a community and respectively honored all of those who lost and risked their lives.

We came together with Father McDonagh and as a school. Some of us may not remember where we were exactly on the day of September 11, 2001.

However, most can remember every second and reaction of that day. It goes down as the worst terrorist attack in history after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941.

The flags on the Quadrangle on the campus of AIC represented honor, and students gathered around and took pictures and thought about that day.

AIC represents students from all around the globe, and no matter who you are or where you’re, from we still came together.