US Consul General Denis Coleman Jr. was joined by the Bermuda community when he paid tribute to the victims of the September 11 terrorism attacks at an exhibition of newspapers from September 12, 2001, which opened on Tuesday night.

Newspapers from around the globe showing coverage of the attacks on New York and washington DC were on display at the Bermuda National Gallery and Mr.Coleman said it was important to commemorate the dead and said he was pleased so many people had joined him.

He said the US State Department sent the front pages of numerous newspapers from around the world printed on September 12 to each of its Consulates.

The Bermuda US Consulate decided to have the pages framed, so they could be shared with the rest of the Island as a way to mark the first anniversary of the attacks.

"We wanted to commemorate it and we wanted to acknowledge it, but it's not a party occasion, so this seemed an appropriate way to remember the day," said the Consul General.

"We (personally) knew a lot of people who perished in the World Trade Center and we had friends who had children who died there.

"We have tough memories."

He said he and his family had lived in New York City and so particularly felt the hurt that September 11 brought.

He said he was impressed by the number of businessmen and community members who turned out at City Hall to mark the event.

However, neither of the families of Bermuda victims, Boyd Gatton or Rhondelle Tankard, chose to attend the event.

Hanging on the walls of the gallery were scores of newspaper front pages from China, the US, France, Germany, Argentina and Britain along with the special edition published by The Royal Gazette on the afternoon of September 11.

Also included in the exhibition was an array of poems, messages, pictures and letters that had been sent to the US Consulate in Bermuda by both children and adults.

And making a special presentation to the Consulate was Bermuda kite-maker Richard Hill, from Pembroke, who earlier this year was joined by his friend Gary Cann in making a six-foot kite as a tribute to those that were killed in the attacks.

The kite, depicting a white dove carrying a red rose against a backdrop of the Manhattan skyline, had been put on show at the Agricultural Show in April, where hundreds of people had written messages of love and support on it.

Mr. Hill said it was only right that America's representative in Bermuda was presented with it.

He said: "I said I would not fly the kite, and we wanted it to be given to someone who would appreciate it.

"I asked if we could present it the American Consulate, and so now that is where it will be kept.

"I never expected people to write messages on it at the Ag Show, but the response that we got showed that people cared."

The exhibition will be open at the City Hall gallery for a further five days.