Sometimes we take our strength for granted when we are not challenged or attacked. That's probably human and understandable. But when we are attacked, there's nothing stronger in the world than the character of people who live in a democracy with freedom of religion, political freedom, economic freedom. You can see in the faces of each and every one of these people a sense of determination that probably would not have been there the day before this horrible attack. That's what our enemies didn't count on. They attacked us to destroy our spirit, and instead they created a city and a country that are more united, more determined, and with a more profound understanding of what we are all about as Americans.

I congratulate you, Joe, for your ability to capture that in a very powerful way. This is a wonderful contribution to the healing and restoration of confidence in our country. As this exhibit travels across the country and around the world, people will see, as many of us saw even on the first day, that America will be stronger as a result of this horrible and terrible attack.

Thank you. God bless you.

- Rudolph W. Giuliani, on the opening of the Faces of Ground Zero exhibit, Grand Central Terminal, New York City, January 7, 2002