- The annual 9/11 "Tribute in Light" was canceled on Thursday due to coronavirus health concerns, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum spokesman, Michael Frazier, told the New York Times in a statement.
- But on Saturday, New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo , Mike Bloomberg, and memorial and museum president, Alice M. Greenwald announced that tribute will happen this year. - "I am glad that we can continue this powerful tribute to those we lost on 9/11 and to the heroism of all New Yorkers. We will #NeverForget," Cuomo said in a tweet on Saturday.
New York officials announced that the traditional lights that honor the 9/11 terror attacks will shine next month as previously scheduled after the annual tribute was canceled on Thursday because of pandemic concerns.
Last month, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum announced that the victim's names who passed during the terror attacks will be read from a recording, according to NBC News. The museum said it wanted to comply with federal and state social distancing guidelines, the outlet reported.
Then earlier last week, the New York Times reported that the "Tribute in Light" ceremony was canceled because "the health risks during the pandemic were far too great for the large crew," the memorial and museum spokesman, Michael Frazier, told the Times in a statement. The "large crew" consists of 40 members who work together to execute the significant display.
However, plans changed again when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who helped cover the costs of the health and safety personnel, announced on Saturday along with the memorial's CEO that tribute operations will continue as planned.
—9/11 Memorial & Museum (@Sept11Memorial) August 15, 2020
"For the last eight years the 911 Memorial & Museum has produced the Tribute in Light and we recognize the profound meaning it has for so many New Yorkers. This year, its message of hope, endurance, and resilience are more important than ever," the president and CEO of the memorial and museum, Alice M. Greenwald, said in the announcement.
Gov. Cuomo said that New York health personnel will supervise the nuts and bolts of the tribute.
—Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 15, 2020
"I am glad that we can continue this powerful tribute to those we lost on 9/11 and to the heroism of all New Yorkers. We will #NeverForget," Cuomo said. "Honoring our 9/11 heroes is a cherished tradition. The twin towers of light signify hope, resiliency, promise and are a visual representation of #NewYorkTough."
Greenwald and Cuomo also thanked Bloomberg for his partnership in helping to make the tribute happen.
"The 9/11 "Tribute in Light" will always be a beacon of the resilience and hope of this great city. I'm glad we will continue this tradition and remind the world of NY's strength," Bloomberg said in a tweet. "Thank you to @NYGovCuomo for providing personnel and joining us to ensure the lights shine on."
The 9/11 terror attacks were one of the deadliest attacks on US soil resulting in the death of 2,977 people. The "Tribute in Light" beams in the spot where the twin towers once stood and according to the memorial website, the tribute was initially launched six months after the 2001 attack. The tribute is carried out every year from dusk to dawn on September 11 to memorialize the lives lost from the unforgettable tragedy.