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Lessons to be learned from 9/11

Sep 13 2002

AN HEROIC Ground Zero cop urged kids to learn to help others when he spoke about the September 11 tragedy to a south London school assembly yesterday.

By Oscar Mortali and Mike Pflanz, South London Press

New York Police Department Lieutenant Frank Dwyer was on duty when terrorists struck Lower Manhattan last year.

On Wednesday's anniversary he poignantly presented a charred Union Flag found in the Twin Towers rubble to Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Lt Dwyer spoke to hundreds of 11-to- 18-year-olds from London Nautical School near Waterloo about the "strength of support from Great Britain".

He said: "I know school can be boring sometimes, but I would ask you when you are a bit bored, just think to yourself, what can I learn today which I can use to help others?"

School captain Kerry O'Sullivan, 17, from Kennington, presented Lt Dwyer with a plaque bearing the school's crest.

She said: "When he was talking, and I was thinking about what happened, it did bring a tear to my eye. But it was inspirational as well."

Also on Wednesday, at 1.46pm south London firefighters took time out for a minute's silence to remember their 343 US colleagues who perished.

Fire Commissioner Brian Robinson paid tribute to the New York firefighters saying: "Firefighters still feel the loss intensely.

"People I knew, people I counted as friends, were among those who died in the Twin Towers."

Meanwhile in Streatham on Wednesday evening Christians, Muslims and Jews stood shoulder to shoulder at a remembrance ceremony in a sign of unity one year on from the terror attacks.

Hundreds turned out for a moving service at Streatham's Immanuel Parish Church at the inter-faith ceremony focusing on remembrance, peace and community.

Rabbi James Baaden, of the South London Liberal Synagogue, said: "Streatham and Lambeth as a whole are unique in that Christians, Jews and Muslims live together in harmony, all in a very special community.

"In a world where religion is associated with conflict these happy community relations should be something to publicise and celebrate."

"What we have is rather special," he added.

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