US President George W. Bush (L) and First Lady Laura Bush (C) lay a wreath at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, marking the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.[AFP]               More pictures In memorial ceremonies across the nation, and much of the world, people observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. The fifth anniversary may be the last one at the Ground Zero site. Five years after the attacks, much of the focus of the commemorations was on New York where more than 2,700 people died when two hijacked airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center towers, shaking the United States' confidence and changing the New York skyline forever. As at the previous commemorations at Ground Zero, family members read the names of the dead in a solemn ceremony against a sound track of somber and patriotic music. Dozens of religious services and commemorative events took place around the city. At one, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that as New York rebuilds, children must be taught more about the attack than the devastation it wrought. "We must also share with them the beautiful memories of the loved ones we lost and of the incredible examples of courage we witnessed on that day," said Michael Bloomberg. "And most of all we must share with them our hope for the future, their future. That is how we will truly honor the memory of each of the 2,749 people we lost." President and Mrs. Bush paid their respects on Sunday, placing a wreath on one of the reflecting pools at Ground Zero. They spent part of Monday morning at a firehouse near the site before traveling to the field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where 40 people died after wresting control of hijacked plane. The Bushes then returned to Washington and placed a wreath at the Pentagon site where a fourth hijacked plane killed 184 people upon crashing. Earlier in the day, Vice President Dick Cheney spoke during a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon. "We have learned that oceans do not protect us, and threats that gather thousands of miles away can now find us here at home," said Dick Cheney. The events of 9/11 were commemorated from coast to coast, from religions services in metropolitan cathedrals to makeshift memorials in small towns. In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called for a return to the unity Americans experienced after the attacks. "Let us remember the tragedy but also let us remember the triumph of the American spirit," said Arnold Schwarzenegger.   (Agencies)

昨天是美國9·11恐怖襲擊事件五周年紀念日，美國全國各地和世界上很多其它地方都舉行了各種形式的紀念儀式，人們在悼念活動中默哀，緬懷9·11恐怖襲擊的近3000名遇難者。五周年紀念可能是在"歸零地"（世貿(mào)中心雙子大廈變成的一堆廢墟）舉行的最后一次紀念活動。 9·11五周年紀念活動主要集中在紐約，2001年9月11日，兩架被劫持的飛機頃刻間撞塌紐約世貿(mào)中心大樓，造成2700多人喪生，美國的信心因此遭到沉重打擊，而紐約的地平線也從此被改變了。 此前也有一些紀念活動在"歸零地"舉行，人們在低沉的愛國主義音樂中念著遇難親友的名字。 此外，紐約各地舉行了各種形式的宗教儀式和紀念活動。在一次宗教紀念活動中，紐約市市長邁克爾·布隆伯格說，紐約的重建在進行之中，我們不應該讓孩子們看到9·11給美國帶來的創(chuàng)傷，他們應該多了解這次襲擊事件本身。 他說："我們還應該跟他們講講遇難親友的故事，還要給他們講那一天我們親眼見到的勇敢非凡的人。最重要的是，我們要和孩子們分享對于未來的希望，那是他們的未來。這才是我們緬懷這2749位遇難者的最真誠的方式。" 布什總統(tǒng)及夫人于上周日在"歸零地"的其中一個清池上敬獻了花圈。周一早上，他們來到"歸零地"附近的一個消防站進行悼念，之后，他們前往賓西法尼亞州的Shanksville地區(qū)出席另外一個悼念活動--在9·11事件中，一架被劫持的飛機因乘客和劫機者搏斗，最終在Shanksville附近的一個空曠地墜毀，機上40人全部遇難。接著，布什及夫人又返回華盛頓，來到五角大樓事發(fā)地點敬獻花圈，當時，第四架被劫持的飛機在此墜毀，造成184人喪生。 昨天早些時候，美國副總統(tǒng)迪克·切尼在五角大樓舉行的紀念儀式上發(fā)表了講話。 他說："9·11讓我們認識到海洋保護不了我們，即使遠在萬里之外，恐怖和威脅如今也能找上門來。" 美國全國各地都舉行了紀念9·11死難者的活動，其中有在大教堂里舉行的宗教紀念儀式，也有在小鎮(zhèn)臨時紀念館里舉行的紀念活動。 加州州長阿諾德·施瓦辛格號召美國人在經(jīng)歷了這次恐怖事件后要再次團結(jié)起來。 他說："我們不但要記住這個悲劇，而且我們不能忘記美國精神所取得過的勝利。" (英語點津姍姍編輯)