For a generation of people around the world, the images of the World Trade Center towers burning and collapsing nine years ago are seared into our collective memories.

However, September 11 has become more than just a symbol of tragedy. It has also become a symbol of unity and resiliency.

So, while we remember and pay tribute to those who died on 9/11, let us use the anniversary of the day also to reaffirm our commitment to the ideas and ideals that united Americans and peace-loving people everywhere in the aftermath of the attacks.

As President Obama noted in June 2009, "9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable. (But) we must never alter or forget our principles".

As tragic and horrific as the attacks were to Americans, they changed more than America. They changed the world, including Bermuda, which lost two of its own — Mr. Boyd A. Gatton and Ms. Rhondelle Cherie Tankard.

The impact of the attacks lies beyond the pain suffered by survivors and victims' families. The attacks of 9/11 made us aware that terror threatens indiscriminately and can strike anywhere in the world.

Family members of those who lost loved ones on 9/11 conceived the idea of a National Day of Service and Remembrance both to salute the heroes of that tragic day and to recapture the spirit of unity and compassion that inspired the US following the attacks.

It is a chance for Americans to recommit to sustained community service and to work ever harder for a peaceful world in which such acts can never occur again. We have fought back against terror by choosing to overcome evil with good. Countless people have answered the call to help others.

They have contributed to relief efforts at home and abroad, improved security in their communities and volunteered their time to aid those in need. The spirit of service is very evident in Bermuda too. A recent study showed that over 44 percent of Bermuda's population volunteers, higher than in most other developed countries.

To push that number even higher, please click on www.volunteer.bm to see if being a volunteer is right for you. The site allows you to browse all or selected organisations or activities, search by organisation mission, or select a volunteer opportunity by days of the week and times of day that suit your schedule. On an individual basis, we can mitigate the threat of terror by doing something positive. By giving back to our communities, we can continue to turn tragedy into goodness.

To remember those who suffered and died on September 11th, the American Consulate will fly its flag at half-staff on September 10.