Mikheil Chkhenkel paid tribute to the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks
On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, a memorial "Artifact of the World Trade Center" was exhibited at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and a photo exhibition depicting the tragedy was held. The Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Mikheil Chkhenkeli attended the opening of the event.
In his speech, Mikheil Chkhenkeli paid tribute to the memory of those killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks, noting that this day remains the most horrific tragedy in the history of the modern world.
Mikheil Chkhenkeli: "20 years have passed since the terrible tragedy of September 11, which happened in New York. It was not just an American tragedy, it was a world tragedy, and it affected me personally - I was working in the United States at the time. On September 11, my former American student was in one of the buildings and he died unfortunately. My condolences to the families of the victims, to the American people, and to all of humanity.
It was very important that the 9/11 Memorial was opened at Tbilisi State University today and everyone will have the opportunity to see and remember this day.
For me, as a dual citizen of Georgia and the United States, it is important that this memorial was exhibited in Georgia for the first time.
The memorial will be exhibited in various universities of Georgia, including regional universities. Our young people, students and all interested parties will have the opportunity to see this memorial and photo exhibition so that everyone can remember the tragedy of 9/11 and the terrorist acts will never happen again.
I would like to thank first of all my colleague, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, Ms. Tea Tsulukiani, the Rodzianko family and Tbilisi State University for organizing this event. "
The memorial, which is owned by U.S. citizens Mr. Paul Rodzianko and Ms. Chaunce Rodzianko, features a steel pillar that survived an exploding skyscraper. It bears the name and inventory number of Laclede Steel, a leading manufacturer of St. Louis steel. Initiated and organized by the Rodzianko family and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia, the sculpture was symbolically exhibited in Georgia for the first time 20 years after the terrorist attack. It should be noted that the memorial will be exhibited in other universities of Georgia, including regional universities.
The event was attended by the owner of the memorial sculpture, Paul Rodzianko, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs of Georgia, Vice Prime Minister Tea Tsulukiani, the Rector of Tbilisi State University, Giorgi Sharvashidze and the Deputy Ambassador of the United States of America, Ryan Harris.
On September 11, 2001, Islamist terrorists carried out a series of attacks on US territory. 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger planes, two of which deliberately crashed into two skyscrapers of the World Trade Center in New York (the so-called twins), killing all the passengers on the plane and most of the people in those buildings at the time. The hijackers shot down a third plane at the Pentagon. A fourth plane crashed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The terrorist attack killed more than 3,000 people from 62 countries.
