Patriot Day: September 11 – National Day of Service & Remembrance

Patriot Day: Patriot Day is observed on September 11 every year. The day marks the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, in New York City and the Pentagon in Virginia.

Patriot Day: Patriot Day, also known as National Day of Service & Remembrance is observed September 11 annually. The day is observed in memory of the fallen people and heroes in the 2001 attack by Al-Qaeda on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Virginia. It was first marked in the year 2002, a year after Vito Fossella introduced a bill in the U.S. House on October 25, 2001.

What does Patriot Day mean?

Patriot Day is an important occasion celebrated in the US. It recalls the tragic incident of September 11, 2001, when terrorists assaulted the nation by commandeering aircraft and hitting well-known sites. The day serves as a poignant reminder of the loss of almost 3,000 lives and the country as a whole.

The National Day of Service & Remembrance is a chance to pause and applaud the valour and values of freedom, democracy, and solidarity. It also promotes acts of kindness, volunteerism, and community service as a means to honour the spirit of cooperation and compassion that evolved in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Why is Patriots Day or National Day of Service & Remembrance observed?

Patriot Day serves as a moment for Americans to pay tribute in remembrance of the fallen, their families, and the countless heroes who sacrificed their lives. It marks the resiliency, harmony and strength of Americans in the face of hardship.

Is Patriot Day a Federal Holiday?

No, Patriot Day is not a federal holiday in the United States. On this day, all the federal government offices, schools and most businesses are open. Also, the day is marked by various memorial ceremonies to remember the 2,977 victims and heroes of the deadly attack.

Is it Remembrance Day or Patriot Day?

National Day of Service & Remembers or Patriot Day are just two different names to observe a single event. In a joint resolution passed on December 18, 2001 (Public Law 107-89), the Congress declared September 11 of every year to be “Patriot Day,” and in Public Law 111-13, passed on April 21, 2009, the Congress asked for the observance of September 11 to be recognized as an annual “National Day of Service and Remembrance.”

This year will also mark the joint observation of Patriot Day and National Day of Service & Remembrance. As per the official White House website “NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 2023, as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance.”

How is National Day of Service & Remembrance observed?

On this occasion, the American flag is flown half-staff at all U.S. federal buildings and organisations around the world, including the White House. At 8:46 a.m. At the exact hour when the first jet, American Airlines Flight 11, hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The act is followed by a moment of silence to commemorate the attacks.

President Joe Biden also requested the nation to pay tribute to the lost souls. He said, “I call upon the people of the United States to participate in community service in honour of those our Nation lost, to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, including remembrance services, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. eastern daylight time to honour the innocent victims who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.”

Also, Patriot Day (September 11) should not be confused with Patriot’s Day (April), also known as Patriots Day. This one observed on the third Monday of April commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, which were two of the earliest battles in the American Revolutionary War.