NEW YORK — Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, which changed New York City and the nation forever.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed when al-Qaeda hijackers flew four passenger planes into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a field in southwestern Pennsylvania.

On this day every morning for 23 years, Families who have lost loved ones At the worst terrorist attack on American soil, take the ceremonial march to Ground Zero to observe the six minutes of silence, hear the reading of the names and fulfill a sacred promise never to forget.

As the years go by, more and more names of children and young adults born after the attacks are read – as the older generation transfers the heavy responsibility to convey the memory of this day to a new generation.

Follow the ceremonial commemoration at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum via live stream on CBS News New York starting at 8:25 a.m.

9/11 Moments of Silence

Wednesday’s ceremony is dedicated to the 2,983 people killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001, aboard Flight 93 and in the 1993 WTC bombing.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum opens to family members at 8:00 a.m. before the memorial service begins at 8:46 a.m.

A municipal minute of silence will take place on 8:46 am to commemorate the moment the hijacked Flight 11 struck the North Tower. A second minute of silence will be held at 9:03 am to mark the moment when hijacked Flight 175 hit the South Tower.

There will be another minute of silence on 9:37 amand marks the moment when the hijacked Flight 77 hit the Pentagon.

A minute of silence will be observed at 9:59 am to mark the moment of the collapse of the South Tower, 10:03 am about the crash of hijacked Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and then in 10:28 am to mark the moment of the collapse of the North Tower.

The ceremony usually ends around 12:30 p.m.

Participation of US heads of state and government expected

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to attend the commemoration in Lower Manhattan. Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is also in town to commemorate 9/11.

The White House said Biden and Harris will also appear at the 9/11 sites in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.

Road closures due to the 9/11 ceremony

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is located in the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan.

Motorists should expect the following road closures in the area:

• Areas bounded by Barclay Street to the north, Rector Street to the south, Broadway to the east, and West Street to the west (all inclusive)
• Liberty Street between West Street and South End Avenue
• Albany Street between West Street and South End Avenue
• West Thames Street between West Street and South End Avenue
• South End Avenue between Liberty Street and West Thames Street
• Battery Place between West Thames Street and 3rd Place
• 3rd place between Battery Place and Little West Street
• Little West Street between 3rd Place and Battery Place

This takes place at the same time as the United Nations General Assembly, which also to road closures and delays on Manhattan’s East Side.