Speech on the occasion of the commemoration of 11 September 2001
Mr Ambassador, Mrs Arnall,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, let me thank you, Mr Ambassador, for inviting me to be present at today’s commemoration of the events of 11 September 2001. It is an honour to be here to remember with you the tragedy that occurred on American soil but had a resounding impact on the whole international community.
The horrific events of 9/11 are etched in our memories and engraved in our hearts. They are among the defining moments in history. Probably everyone present here recalls what he or she was doing when the Twin Towers fell. And I am sure most of us still recollect the horror and disbelief they felt at that moment - as if it happened yesterday. This is certainly the case for me.
I also remember visiting New York one year later. The area of devastation where the towers once stood bore silent witness to the unbelievable horror and human loss. At Ground Zero, I saw pictures of the victims and heartbreaking notes from friends and relatives. It was a disheartening and chilling experience. But I was also impressed at the strength and courage of the people of New York: shops and offices were reopening in the World Trade Center area, the King Palms had been replanted in the Winter Garden and young mothers were pushing their prams along the reopened Battery Park promenade. I was encouraged and touched to see the American people again showing their resilience and optimism in the face of terrible tragedy.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The British author Ian McEwan has said that ever since the towers fell the air we breathe has been different. This is true in many ways. Since 9/11 we have all become acutely aware of the threats terrorism poses for our societies and of the urgent need to find ways and means of coping with them effectively. 9/11 and the subsequent terrorist attacks in other places - Madrid, Bali, London - have challenged our concept of peace and security. They have forced us to come to terms with the reality that there is an enemy who is not bound by one place or one nation, and certainly not by the international legal order we have created over the last century.
The world has been a very different place since the events of 9/11. But there are elements of continuity on which we can build. There are values we continue to uphold as the basic foundations of our societies – democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law. And there is friendship, trust and solidarity. These elements should be our common basis today and tomorrow, as in the past. The Netherlands stands united with the United States in facing the evil threat of terrorism. And we will stand by you in defending the values we consider to be at the basis of civilised societies.
Allow me, Mr Ambassador, to recall the words of one of your greatest statesmen, Benjamin Franklin. He once said that those who give up a little liberty for a little security deserve neither. We owe it to all the people who have lost their lives on the battlefield of liberty to keep these wise words in mind - now and in the future.
Thank you.