Full Breakdown
Peace Arch Ceremony Marks 25 Years of 9/11 Remembrance
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Joint Canada-U.S. Memorial at the Peace Arch
Hundreds of Canadians and Americans gathered on a Friday morning at the Peace Arch monument on the British Columbia–Washington border to observe the 25th anniversary of the attacks. The ceremony featured a motorcycle procession, a helicopter fly-past, national-anthem performances and a communal barbecue. Retired New York fire-department paramedic Roberto Abril, who arrived on scene shortly after 9 a.m. ET on the day of the attacks and stayed until the following morning, attended alongside his late partner’s family. Former firefighter Cody Stamberger, who spent nine months searching the rubble, also spoke at the event.
Background & Context
The Peace Arch memorial began on the second anniversary of 9/11 in 2003, when Guy Morrall organized the first motorcycle procession. Since then, the gathering has grown into an annual symbol of cross-border solidarity, even as political and trade tensions periodically flare between Canada and the United States.
Official Statements & Responses
Roberto Abril reflected on the day’s horror, describing the scene as “all tragedy, all painful,” and said the memory of his fallen partner, Carlos Lillo, “never goes away.”
