National Days of Prayer and Remembrance, 2016

Proclamation 9488 of September 9, 2016

National Days of Prayer and Remembrance, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On September 11, 2001, a group of small and hateful
minds conspired to threaten the very fiber of our
country, seeking to break the American spirit and
destroy our way of life. From the Atlantic to the
Pacific, Americans were struck with grief as
devastation and senseless loss of innocent human life
unfolded. In the empty shadow of the World Trade
Center, the remains of the Pentagon, and a charred
Pennsylvania field where courageous passengers saved
countless lives, what emerged from the ashes of that
day was not defeat--it was the heroism, compassion, and
unity of the American people, which no act of terror or
hate could ever take away. On September 11, we recall
the true spirit of our Nation following these heinous
attacks, and we resolve to enshrine the enduring
compassion and love of our people forever in the heart
of America.

Fifteen years later, we pay tribute to the loss of
nearly 3,000 lives, reflect on treasured memories of
those we lost, and resolve to never forget that day,
even as we look toward a brighter and more hopeful
future. We draw inspiration from the survivors who
still bear the scars--both seen and unseen--of that
tragic day. We honor the valiance of our Nation's first
responders, whose instinct was not to turn back to find
safety for themselves, but to run toward untold danger.
We show our gratitude to those young Americans of the
9/11 Generation, who until that day lived knowing only
peace, but who have answered our country's call to
serve under our flag to meet the threats of our time
with bravery and distinction.

In the years that have followed, with prayer and
reflection, grace and faith, Americans have grieved
together, held each other close, and looked out for one
another. Though the void felt by those who lost a loved
one on that day can never be filled, we can continue to
heal the wounds inflicted by hatred by honoring the
notion that, no matter our differences, we are forever
united as one American family.

As we mourn on this most solemn anniversary, let us
also reflect on the freedom and tolerance that define
this great Nation, and let us reaffirm our commitment
to preserving those fundamental values for each
generation of Americans to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim Friday, September 9
through Sunday, September 11, 2016, as National Days of
Prayer and Remembrance. I ask that the people of the
United States honor and remember the victims of
September 11, 2001, and their loved ones through
prayer, contemplation, memorial services, the visiting
of memorials, the ringing of bells, evening candlelight
remembrance vigils, and other appropriate ceremonies
and activities. I invite people around the world to
participate in this commemoration.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and forty-first.