Lost in the controversy over the Freedom Center, the WTC Memorial Foundation has formally endorsed a proposal for the site to become a national memorial.
This of course is what everybody thought would happen from Day 1. However the powers that be have proceeded via LMDC to bungle almost every aspect of Ground Zero. There currently are 109 national memorials/monuments.
This resolution also could spell an end to the Foundation’s desire to be connected to the Freedom Center since it is questionable whether the federal park service would want to take on such a project. Since LMDC has been making announcements about the Center there’s a possibility they will take over responsibilities for it from the Foundation.
This of course sets up a scenario of “if we build will you pay to maintain it” for the Park Service so there’s no guarantee this is done deal. The Park Service probably would have preferred to have had input in the process for construction of a memorial as it is doing in Shanksville.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler has introduced legislation for the World Trade Center National Memorial in 2003. According to the legislation LMDC is to build the memorial but would give the Secretary of Interior input on the plan.
Read the proposal.
Here’s the entire press release of the Third Session of the World Trade Center Foundation
WORLD TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL FOUNDATION HOLDS
BOARD MEETING
Foundation Renews Priority Fundraising Mission to Memorial,
Memorial Museum, and Endowment;
Board Directors to go to Washington, DC and Albany to Meet With Elected Officials to Raise Awareness About Importance of Memorial;
Four New Directors Elected to Board
The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation today held its third board meeting and first with staff, and passed a resolution renewing its priority mission to fundraise for the World Trade Center Memorial, as well as the Memorial Museum. The Board also announced plans for Board members to travel to Washington, DC and Albany to call for Federal and State legislation which would create a tax check-off in support of a fund for the World Trade Center Memorial.
The Board passed a resolution which clearly stated that the Foundation’s first fundraising responsibilities will be devoted to the completion of the Memorial, “Reflecting Absence” designed by Michael Arad and Peter Walker, and the Memorial Museum, which will be dedicated to exhibiting September 11th artifacts and communicating the events of the day as well as honoring those who died and those who helped. The first dollars contributed to the Foundation will be directed to the Memorial and the Memorial Museum, as well as to the creation of a substantial endowment to ensure their maintenance. The Foundation’s fundraising efforts will be focused on this priority mission until the Foundation determines that completion of the Memorial and the Memorial Museum can be assured.
The Board also announced plans this fall to send a delegation of Board directors to Washington, DC and Albany to meet with elected officials to raise awareness about the Foundation’s mission and garner support for the construction of the World Trade Center Memorial. The Directors will call for Federal and New York State Tax Check-off legislation supporting the funds for the World Trade Center Memorial.
The Board announced support for Congressman Jerrold Nadler’s resolution which recognizes the importance of establishing the memorial at the World Trade Center site as a national memorial. Members of the Board intend to meet with Congressman Nadler and members of the New York Congressional delegation to discuss Foundation fundraising efforts for the Memorial and Memorial Museum this fall in Washington, DC.
At the meeting, four new directors were elected to the Foundation Board. The new board directors include Samuel A. DiPiazza, Jr, Global Chief Executive Officer of Pricewaterhouse Coopers International; Peter M. Lehrer, Chief Executive Officer of Bovis, Inc.; Judith Rodin, President of the Rockefeller Foundation; and Daniel R. Tishman, Chairman & CEO of Tishman Construction Corporation and President of Tishman Realty & Construction Co., Inc.
The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation established to honor the innocent men, women and children murdered in the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993 through the creation of a permanent memorial, “Reflecting Absence,” at the World Trade Center site. The Foundation is committed to raising funds and constructing the Memorial and the Memorial Museum, which will be dedicated to telling the story of the events of February 26th, 1993 and September 11th, 2001, and honoring and remembering the lives lost as well as those involved in the response and recovery.
For more information on the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, please visit www.wtcmemorialfoundation.org.
###
Contact: 212-312-8814
http://911memorials.org/archives/2005/07/13/foundation-endorses-proposal-for-wtc-national-memorial/
RSS Feed For This Forum