MEMORY banks
9/11 MEMORIAL LAUNCHES FUND TO CONTINUE EDUCATION
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City has launched “The Never Forget Fund” in honor of the 20th anniversary — a fund to support its educational programs and ensure future generations never forget the lessons of 9/11.
“The Never Forget Fund is going to provide this next generation with what it is they shouldn’t be forgetting,” Jan Martinez, the museum’s executive VP of Collections and Chief Curator, told the Herald. “It’s really important we never forget, so we’re trying to continue educating the next generation of visitors.
“It’s a day they didn’t experience, but it was so transformative for their lives,” she added. “It affects their lives every day.”
Twenty years after 9/11, many young people who either don’t remember 9/11 or were born after it are moving into adulthood.
When the museum was getting developed 15 years ago, it never occurred to the creators that there would be a time when people would be coming to the museum without a 9/11 lived experience.
“All of a sudden, guess what? There was a new generation coming in,” Martinez said. “Some too young to have any living memory of this event, and some who were born after the event.
“We’ve always been dedicated to education, but this really ramped up our efforts to really develop that capacity to teach the importance of this event to this generation and generations to come,” she added.
The 9/11 values they teach include hope, resilience and unity.
“The remarkable things we can do when we come together,” Martinez said.
The museum has rolled
out lesson plans for teachers.
“We want more people to find it, and for teachers and homeschooling parents to feel confident they can teach this relatively recent and quite emotional and unfolding unfinished history,” Martinez said.
The lessons plan the museum developed are age appropriate, she emphasized.
“We’re mindful that the day itself has so much disturbing content associated with it, so we’ve made sure the lesson plans are emotionally appropriate for the different age groups,” she added.
As part of the fund launch, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is issuing limited edition Never Forget commemorative tickets. The dual-purpose aluminum tickets will serve as both a keepsake and an actual ticket that can be shared to visit the museum.
The Never Forget Fund was launched in conjunction with a PSA campaign. The PSA features Chloe Downey, the granddaughter of FDNY Chief Raymond Downey, who oversaw special operations and died in the attacks.
While Chloe never met her grandfather, he has remained a powerful presence in her life. The PSA follows Chloe’s journey through the museum as she learns about the attacks and all those who lost their lives on that day.
To donate to The Never Forget Fund, visit www.911memorial.org/20thanniversary/inspire/neverforget-fund.