September, 2003

The events of September 11th and what they mean for us in our personal or professional lives are still very close. Even after two years, I believe many of us still lack any real sense of perspective on it.

For me, September 11th was a helplessly surreal experience. I happened to be in Italy with sculptor Stephen Shaheen, and was emerging from an 800 year-old church when we received the first pieces of information. After watching the horror unfold from 3,000 miles away, I returned home to a community severely crippled and traumatized by the events of that day.

I personally spent the following months in reflection, remembering the shock and sorrow on the faces of my friends, loved ones and community members. It has been an overwhelming and wrenching experience for me, and I share the anguish of the families and colleagues of the missing.

The Memoria Project grew from a commitment to help begin the process of healing through art. I am proud and honored to be part of a project that is already successfully on its way to achieving its mission. This success can be seen and heard in the personal letters sent to us by surviving family members, in the active community participation in our education programs, and through participation by surviving family members during the first phase of construction. Our goal to include the public and surviving family members in the actual sculpting of the statues was as important as the creation of the memorial itself. We believe that art heals, and we strive to give everyone affected by September 11th the opportunity to take part in the process of creation – and hopefully the process of healing.

It is an exciting time for The Memoria Project as we enter the second phase of construction. This involves the preparation and polishing of five large granite boulders and engraving almost 3,000 victims’ names. This process is being executed by an advanced stone facility in Vermont, and will be complete by the end of 2005. Information and photos will be available on our website as the process advances.

Due largely to efforts made by Congressman Christopher Smith, Congressman Frank Pallone, and State Senator Joseph Kyrillos, representatives from the National Park Service and local surviving family members met to discuss permanent placement on Sandy Hook on July 21, 2003. We are grateful that the National Park Service is listening to the community’s request, and look forward to continued discussions.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank all of our donors and supporters for making financial or in-kind contributions to our effort. Your generosity has truly touched us all, and you have directly assisted a community-involved effort to create a permanent tribute to all those who perished, and all those affected by September 11th. We are particularly grateful to Judith Stanley Coleman for hosting last year’s fundraiser and to PNC Bank and The New York Stock Exchange for making generous lead gifts that helped set the tone for our fundraising campaigns.

The Memoria Project is proud to be collaborating with Rutgers University, the State University of New Jersey. In addition to hosting a forum on memorial art in New Jersey on September 12, 2003, the University will be archiving all aspects of The Memoria Project at the main campus art library so that future generations of students and artists may benefit from the experiences and lessons learned while creating this memorial.

Special thanks should be extended to our talented and dedicated Board of Directors and volunteer committee members for their continued support throughout the year. Without them, The Memoria Project would simply not be possible.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners who have offered their expertise and resources to further our effort: The National Park Service, Congressman Christopher Smith, Congressman Frank Pallone, State Senator Joseph Kyrillos, The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Rutgers University, The Highlands Business Partnership and the Borough of Highlands. I extend special appreciation to Stephen Shaheen, my colleague and my friend who had the creative vision and compassionate desire to create what has now become The Memoria Project.

Finally, as we continue to make progress and work towards project completion, I would like to thank the surviving family members in our community who have stepped forward and shared their personal stories of how the events of September 11th affected them. Your strength, resolve and bravery is astounding, and we at The Memoria Project are as committed as you are to create a lasting tribute to the victims, and survivors, of September 11th, 2001.


Evan Urbania
Executive Director
The Memoria Project, Inc.