“The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom.”

Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City

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“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children.”

George W. Bush, former U.S. president

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“Ten years have passed since a perfect blue sky morning turned into the blackest of nights. Since then we’ve lived in sunshine and in shadow, and although we can never unsee what happened here, we can also see that children who lost their parents have grown into young adults, grandchildren have been born and good works and public service have taken root to honor those we loved and lost.”

Michael Bloomberg, entrepreneur and three-term Mayor of New York City

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“Those terrorists hated America. They hated our Constitution and the values that bind us together as a nation. Those terrorists wanted to destroy our country. But, on that day and every day since, the United States has demonstrated that we would never bow to fear and hatred.”

Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

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“With almost no time to decide, [your loved ones] gave the entire country an incalculable gift. They saved the Capitol from attack. They saved God knows how many lives. They saved the terrorists from claiming the symbolic victory of smashing the center of American government. … They allowed us to survive as a country that could fight terror and still maintain liberty and still welcome people from all over the world from every religion and race and culture as long as they shared our values, because ­ordinary people given no time at all to decide did the right thing.”

Former President Bill Clinton in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in 2011