ATHENS – The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, while also commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The memories of the victims remain vivid. Against the backdrop of these significant milestones, Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) President Andreas Dracopoulos spoke on June 26 with Greek-American attorney and entrepreneur Eric Hatzimemos during the the event called ‘Core of the Conference’ at SNF Nostos 2026. Hatzimemos recounted his personal experience of September 11 while serving in New York City government.
“What it meant to be an American was crystal clear that day,” Hatzimemos said at the outset of the discussion. “There were so many Americans – New Yorkers from different backgrounds – who came together. That’s what I remember most: the unity.”
“I still have hope that we can do that again,” he added.
“For me, that day revealed both the worst face of humanity and the most beautiful face of humanity at the same time. In the end, what emerged most powerfully was the unity of people. Democracy, human dignity, and human solidarity will always prevail,” the Greek-American said.
“Twenty-five years truly is a milestone,” he continued. “There are personal stories – people who were affected, who lost friends and relatives. Everyone remembers where they were that day. I was one of the Mayor’s three senior advisors. It was an ordinary Tuesday morning, a beautiful September day. I went to work. And it’s a lesson that the world can change in an instant – that’s what happened that day. The world changed. We all had to do our jobs and play our roles.”
“We had an extraordinary mayor, Rudolph Giuliani, who did an outstanding job. It was the sixth year of his administration. If it had been his first year, things might have been different, but we had control of the city, and the Mayor was an exceptional leader,” Hatzimemos recalled.
“I saw things I never imagined I would witness in my lifetime, and we knew that when the second airplane struck, it was not an accident.”
(Photo courtesy of SNF)
Speaking with the SNF President, Hatzimemos continued: “What I saw with my own eyes was extraordinary. It was an incredible display of courage and bravery. As we were leaving, I watched firefighters, police officers, Coast Guard personnel – everyone – running into the building to do their jobs, fully aware that they might never come out again. I have never seen such courage before my eyes.”
“I believe it was the largest rescue operation in the history of humanity,” he said.
Later, responding to a question from Dracopoulos, the former Giuliani advisor reflected on the attacks’ lasting impact:
“The way we live has changed. The way we travel has changed. The way we design buildings has changed. Domestic policy changed. Foreign policy changed. It had an extraordinary impact not only on how Americans live, but on the entire world.”
“The lives of many people changed, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally,” he said, adding that “no one would have believed that Lower Manhattan could recover so quickly and so successfully.” At that point in the discussion, Hatzimemos also referred to the 9/11 Memorial and St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine.
“We must prepare for the worst while hoping for the best. Our country has done an exceptional job over the past 25 years,” he said, concluding with a special tribute to the families of those who lost their lives on that tragic day.
Before the conversation between Dracopoulos and Hatziememos, longtime public servant Dr. John Hamre shared his reflections on the significance of America’s 250th anniversary, focusing on the principles of equality and freedom upon which the American nation was founded.
