9/11: The World Speaks

Tribute WTC Visitor Center; Lee Ielpi and Meriam Lobel

Almost two million people from across the United States and around the world have come through the museum galleries of the Tribute WTC Visitor Center since it opened in September 2006 right across the street from the World Trade Center site. Many of these visitors have written their poignant reflections about the impact of September 11th on visitor cards that are collected in the Center’s final gallery. To date, the Center has collected 200,000 cards written in 48 languages by people from 120 countries.

For the first time ever, this book brings together a choice selection of these cards, many of which talk about the inspiration people find in the outpouring of humanity in response to September 11th. In seeing the selflessness of first responders and ordinary citizens who rushed to help strangers and friends on that day, and in the many months of recovery that followed, adults and young people write that they have been inspired to help others in their communities and around the world.

Moving us toward the future with empathy and hope, 9/11: The World Speaks is a remarkable collection of cards that include elaborate drawings, stories of personal experiences on September 11th, notes written by family members of victims, and statements by people of all cultural backgrounds decrying the use of violence. The book also features a preface from Tom Brokaw.

Globe Pequot / Lyons Press

Pages: 256 •

978-0-7627-6816-5 • eBook • August 2011 • $23.99 • (£17.99)

Subjects: History / Essays, Literary Collections / Essays

9/11: The World Speaks

eBook

Summary

Almost two million people from across the United States and around the world have come through the museum galleries of the Tribute WTC Visitor Center since it opened in September 2006 right across the street from the World Trade Center site. Many of these visitors have written their poignant reflections about the impact of September 11th on visitor cards that are collected in the Center’s final gallery. To date, the Center has collected 200,000 cards written in 48 languages by people from 120 countries.

For the first time ever, this book brings together a choice selection of these cards, many of which talk about the inspiration people find in the outpouring of humanity in response to September 11th. In seeing the selflessness of first responders and ordinary citizens who rushed to help strangers and friends on that day, and in the many months of recovery that followed, adults and young people write that they have been inspired to help others in their communities and around the world.

Moving us toward the future with empathy and hope, 9/11: The World Speaks is a remarkable collection of cards that include elaborate drawings, stories of personal experiences on September 11th, notes written by family members of victims, and statements by people of all cultural backgrounds decrying the use of violence. The book also features a preface from Tom Brokaw.

Details

Globe Pequot / Lyons Press

Pages: 256 •

978-0-7627-6816-5 • eBook • August 2011 • $23.99 • (£17.99)

Subjects: History / Essays, Literary Collections / Essays

Author

The Tribute WTC Visitor Center welcomes an average of 500,000 visitors to lower Manhattan annually. Cofounder and Board President Lee Ielpi, a retired NYC firefighter, lost his son, firefighter Jonathan Ielpi, on September 11th, and has since then been dedicated to communicating the need for understanding history and educating young people to create a more peaceful world. Visit the Tribute WTC Visitor Center online at tributewtc.org.

VIDEOS: Book Trailer
WTC Construction

Reviews

“It's very heartwarming to read the thoughts of the people that come to the Tribute WTC Visitor Center. We are so grateful to see that so many people around the world have been inspired by our city's resilience.” –Robert De Niro
“This heartbreaking and breathtaking collection of remembrances is deeply personal yet universal. The eloquent simplicity of these reflections is a moving tribute to both the survivors and the victims of that terrible day. Reading this wonderful book reminds us that our sense of community and our essential humanity remain strong.” —Vartan Gregorian, President, Carnegie Corporation of New York; Former President, Brown University; Former President, New York Public Library
"The voices from the postcards left at Ground Zero are unbearably poignant. The letters written by family members are raw with emotion that never fades, even years later. . . . These simple, powerful words will linger with me. I urge you to read these letters." --from the Foreword by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani
"Left by visitors from 120 countries, these poignant drawings and notes express pain, sympathy and hope." —People Magazine
". . . passionate tributes left by visitors to ground zero collected by Lee Ielpi." —New York Times

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