Mayor Zohran Mamdani will designate Sept. 11 as New York City’s first official Day of Remembrance and Service and create a new interagency team intended to strengthen the city’s ability to maintain essential services during emergencies.
The two executive orders, announced Sept. 4 ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, pair a formal citywide observance with an update to the city’s continuity-of-operations planning, which officials said has not been modernized since 2007.
The first order directs the administration to set aside time on Sept. 11 for a moment of silence honoring those killed in the attacks as well as people who suffered health consequences in the years that followed. It also encourages city agencies to hold memorial ceremonies, educational programs and other activities honoring victims, families and first responders.
The mayor’s office and NYC Service will promote volunteer opportunities for New Yorkers and encourage agencies to participate in service activities. State and federal observances already exist, but the city said this is the first time a New York City mayor has established a citywide Day of Remembrance and Service.
“Never Forget is not a slogan,” Mamdani said in a statement. “It is a commitment that we must carry forward through action.”
The second executive order creates the Continuity and Mission Assurance Team, or CMAT, a senior interagency group chaired by the deputy mayor for operations. It will include leaders from NYC Emergency Management, the Office of Technology and Innovation, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services and the Office of Management and Budget.
The team will meet regularly to coordinate continuity planning, strengthen operational preparedness and help ensure city government can continue delivering essential services during emergencies, according to the mayor’s office.
The announcement comes as New York prepares to mark a quarter-century since the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, devastated lower Manhattan and left lasting health consequences for many first responders, recovery workers and survivors.
Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said the designation ties remembrance to the service demonstrated in the aftermath of the attacks.
“Service was the legacy of those who answered the call on September 11, 2001, and those who have died since,” Bonsignore said. “The greatest tribute we can pay them is to continue serving one another with compassion, courage and a shared commitment to building a stronger New York.”
NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell said the two actions link commemoration with preparedness.
“Declaring September 11 an official Day of Remembrance and Service ensures that we carry that legacy of service forward,” Farrell said. “We are putting that same commitment into action by strengthening our Continuity of Operations Program.”
