Rochester, NY — Several local communities, schools and other organizations held ceremonies Wednesday to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Students at Monroe Community College gather at the school’s 9/11 memorial every year at 8:45 a.m. on September 11, when the sun aligns with the memorial, casting a shadow similar to the Twin Towers before the attack.

The Rochester Institute of Technology ceremony included moments of silence and musical performances.

“I think it’s important that it’s an opportunity for us to show our commitment to never forget,” said Lt. Col. Mike Sim, who directs RIT’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program. “I think by showing and proving that we’re never going to forget, it gives all of us the strength to do the hard things that our nation and our country asks of us.”

“It’s something that we have to continue to remember, even if we didn’t experience it. It’s something that we have to commemorate and make sure that it never happens again,” said Andrew Lerma, a RIT student and Air Force ROTC cadet.

At Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women, 150 flags flew in memory of the military, emergency workers and relief workers who made the ultimate sacrifice as a result of 9/11.

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The Veterans Outreach Center hosted Operation We Remember at the Monroe County War on Terror Memorial, located in Gary Beikirch Memorial Park in Highland Park.

“We remember the citizens, the first responders, the soldiers, the sailors, the airmen and the marines who all gave their very best in the years that followed,” said Fishers Fire Chief Steve Tschiderer, a member of the New York Army National Guard. “Their legacy is one of courage, resilience and an unwavering commitment to the values ​​that define our nation.”

At the Brockport Firefighters Memorial Monument, firefighters saluted their fallen comrades and rang the memorial bell, in the tradition of the New York City Fire Department.

“It’s important to remember that it’s a day in the history of the United States, but it’s a day in the history of firefighting in our country,” said Christopher Martin, public information officer for the Brockport Fire District. “It’s the largest loss of firefighters in a single incident, on September 11th. As firefighters, we always try to remember our fallen heroes and our lost members of the fire community, so this is no different.”