Just hours after the, uh, fairly contentious first debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on Tuesday night, the two candidates met again, this time to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York City, along with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Miraculously (or perhaps not, for two seasoned politicians), Harris and Trump showed no visible signs of discomfort when they saw each other after the debate, and even exchanged a hearty handshake.

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Granted, even someone as unpredictable as Trump might be expected to behave himself at a somber gathering like Ground Zero, but the civility of the meeting felt refreshing nonetheless. Harris, Trump and the Bidens were joined by Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio; former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer; and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who became a close ally of Trump years after leading New York City through the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

Picking up on one of her key points during the debate, Vice President Harris called for unity in a statement released Wednesday morning outlining her plans for the commemoration. “Today, I will travel to the hallowed grounds of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania to honor the victims and their families. As I do so, I will also reflect on the incredible selflessness and courage of the American people. And as we commemorate this day, we must all remember what unites us as one: the greatest privilege on earth, the pride and privilege of being an American.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre added that Biden and Harris attended today’s memorial because “they want to honor the 2,977 lives lost on that tragic day and to support the families and loved ones who are still in terrible pain.” While neither was looking forward to confronting Trump in person again, it’s also hard to think of a more important reason to do so.