Malta Perspective: New York’s 9/11 Commemoration Highlights America’s Deepening Divisions

**New York marks 9/11 attacks against divided backdrop**

As New Yorkers gathered at Ground Zero yesterday to mark 23 years since the 9/11 attacks, the ceremony unfolded against America’s increasingly fractured political landscape – a stark contrast to the unity that briefly bound the nation together in the aftermath of that September morning.

From our vantage point in Malta, an island that has weathered its own share of historical storms, the commemorations serve as a poignant reminder of how shared trauma can both unite and divide societies over time. The Twin Towers’ collapse claimed 2,977 innocent lives, including victims from over 90 countries, forever altering the global security landscape that continues to influence Maltese policy today.

The memorial service maintained its solemn traditions – the reading of victims’ names, moments of silence marking each plane’s impact, and the haunting sound of bagpipes echo through Lower Manhattan. Yet this year’s ceremony couldn’t escape the shadow of America’s bitter political divisions, with former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris attending separately, embodying the polarisation that has come to define contemporary American politics.

For Malta’s tight-knit community of approximately 400 American expatriates, the anniversary carries particular weight. Many gathered at St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral in Valletta for an interfaith service, finding solace in shared remembrance far from home. The American University of Malta observed a minute’s silence, while the Malta-American Friendship Society organised a small ceremony at the Upper Barrakka Gardens, overlooking the Grand Harbour that once welcomed American ships during darker times.

“Living abroad during 9/11 commemorations is always emotional,” explains Sarah Camilleri, a Maltese-American dual citizen who was studying in New York during the attacks. “But watching America become so divided over basic facts about that day is heartbreaking. We Maltese understand how political differences can run deep, but we’ve learned to maintain dialogue across party lines.”

Indeed, Malta’s own experience with political polarisation offers relevant perspective. Despite fierce partisan divisions, Maltese society has largely avoided the kind of fundamental disagreements over basic facts that now plague American discourse. When former President Trump recently suggested knowing “more about 9/11 than the 9/11 Commission,” it highlighted how even shared national trauma has become contested territory.

The attacks’ ripple effects reached Malta’s shores immediately. Within weeks, Malta International Airport implemented unprecedented security measures. The island’s strategic location in the Mediterranean made it a crucial logistics hub for subsequent military operations, while our ports hosted allied naval vessels. The economic impact was felt too – tourism from North America dropped 15% in 2002, forcing Malta to diversify its visitor markets.

Today’s commemorations occur as Malta faces its own security challenges, with increased vigilance against terrorism financing and cyber threats. The Malta Security Service works closely with American counterparts, their cooperation deepened by shared 9/11 lessons. Our island’s participation in EU counter-terrorism initiatives reflects understanding that in an interconnected world, no nation stands alone.

Yet perhaps the most enduring lesson for Malta lies in how societies process collective grief. While America struggles with politicised memory, Malta’s approach to commemorating historical traumas – from World War II bombings to political assassinations – has generally maintained bipartisan dignity. Our annual remembrance services bring together political opponents in shared acknowledgement of loss.

As New York’s memorial pools reflect the absent towers’ footprints, the ceremony reminds us that remembrance carries responsibility. For Malta, watching America’s struggle to maintain unity around 9/11’s memory offers cautionary lessons about preserving national cohesion while honouring victims’ sacrifice. In our small island nation, where everyone knows someone who knows someone, we understand that division ultimately serves no one – least of all those who perished seeking to build bridges, not walls.

The attacks may have happened 23 years and thousands of kilometres away, but their lessons about unity, vigilance, and the precious nature of peace remain as relevant to Malta today as they were to America then.