Opinion: On Sept. 11, the memorial ceremony at Peace Arch reminds us that some things rise above borders 

On Sept. 11, the memorial ceremony at Peace Arch reminds us that some things rise above borders ... Canadians and Americans gather at the annual ceremony to honour those who answered the call, support those who continue to serve, and demonstrate that some values transcend borders. Guy Morall, Henry Hollander, Cody Stamberger, Tim Armstrong, Howard Blank. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

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On Sept. 11, 2001, the world changed forever. Like millions of people, we watched in disbelief when we learned that thousands of innocent lives had been taken in acts of unimaginable violence. We watched in disbelief as first responders rushed toward danger while others fled. Many never came home.

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Twenty-five years later, those memories remain vivid. But equally enduring is something else: the extraordinary spirit of service, courage and unity that emerged in the days, weeks and years that followed.

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That is why Canadians and Americans gather beneath the Peace Arch to remember.

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The annual Northwest 9/11 Memorial Ceremony has never simply been about looking back. It is about honouring those who answered the call, supporting those who continue to serve, and demonstrating that some values transcend borders.

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This year marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and that milestone carries particular significance.

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A generation has grown up with no personal memory of Sept. 11. Many of the young police officers, firefighters and paramedics attending our ceremony were children, or not yet born, when the attacks occurred. Yet they understand the responsibility they have inherited: to remember those who came before them and to uphold the ideals of public service, sacrifice and courage.

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This year’s ceremony will be especially meaningful as we welcome four first responders who served in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. Their presence reminds us that history is not confined to books or documentaries. It lives in the experiences of those who answered the call that day and in the commitment they continue to demonstrate decades later.

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Their stories are deeply personal, but they also belong to all of us.

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Over the years, this ceremony has grown into far more than an annual commemoration. It has become a gathering of communities, agencies and individuals who understand that service knows no borders. Canadian and American first responders work together every day. Border officials cooperate to protect our shared communities. Military personnel train alongside one another. These partnerships endure because challenges do not stop at the border, and neither does the willingness to help.

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This year, that message carries added significance. Canada and the United States are experiencing a period of heightened economic and political tension, with trade talks having broken down and disagreements testing a relationship that has long been among the closest in the world. Those differences are real, and their consequences matter to people and communities on both sides of the border.

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But moments of disagreement can also remind us of what should never be lost. The relationship between Canadians and Americans has always been about more than governments, trade agreements or the political issue of the day. It has been built over generations by neighbours, families, communities and people who have repeatedly stood together when it mattered most.