International Union of Architects:
For the attention of all Presidents of UIA Members Sections
Dear President,

Following the recent events in the United States, a number of participants have renounced their attendance at the meeting of our Working Group planned for September 28th.

To ensure the success of this Working Group we have preferred to postpone it until the end of January 2002 and will make a new announcement as soon as a new date is fixed.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the postponing of this meeting.

We would like to express our deepest sympathy to our colleagues of the United States facing the present tragedy.

Jean-Marie Charpentier
Directeur de Programme
International Union of Architects

Yerevan:
The architects of Armenia are shocked by the act of inhumane terror, which caused countless deaths of innocent people. We offer our condolences to the American people and mourn with you.

We are convinced that the majestic skyline of New York, the crown of which was the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, will be restored to demonstrate the indomitable spirit of the American People and to manifest the greatest respect for its architecture.

With expressions of sincere sympathy,

The Board of the Union of Armenian Architects

Vienna:
What happened on September 11 in the USA is a human tragedy. As architects, we see this also as an attack on buildings as symbols. Touched by the tragic pictures, as architects we could also see that the tremendous tragedy could have been multiplied if the skyscrapers had fallen as they did.

Please receive the warmest feelings from the architects of Europe.

Utz Purr, Hon. AIA
President, Architects Council of Europe

Tbilisi:
The vandalistic action wrought by the terrorists in New York and Washington exceeded all bounds. They declared war on the whole civilized world. The Georgian people see this tragedy as our own.

Prof. Vakhtang Davitaia, Hon. FAIA
Chief of Department, Georgia Technical University

Helsinki:
On behalf of the Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA), we extend our deepest regret and sympathy for the terrorist attack victims and their families. The depth of this tragedy is difficult for us to comprehend, but please remember that although an ocean separates us geographically, you are not alone in your frustration and anger.

September 11, 2001, will change history forever. We hope that civilized people around the world can have compassion for all those suffering on that day, especially in New York; Washington, D.C.; and Pittsburgh.

Matti Rautiola
President, The Finnish Association of Architects

Moscow:

Architects, as the profession of creators, feel strongly against any form of terrorism.

On behalf of my colleagues—the architects of Russia—and myself, I express to you and to all American architects our genuine condolences.

Yury P. Gnedovskiy, Hon. FAIA
UIA Council Member, Union of Architects of Russia President

Sofia:
Declaration of the Union of Architects in Bulgaria:
The Union of Architects in Bulgaria is shocked by the barbarian act of demolishing of buildings in the United States of America and the numerous human victims. This is a provocation against mankind and the values of civilization.

Now, we bow our heads in honor of the innocent victims, express sympathy for their relatives, and call on the parliaments and governments all over the world for severe action to stop the terrorism.

Acts of violence became an everyday situation for the Bulgarian people in their homeland. Urgent and severe reaction from the Bulgarian legislative and government authorities is necessary.

Bulgarian architects have been united in their professional organization since 1893. As creators of the environment, they are initiators of mutual cooperation and understanding of people all over the world, in the name of its prosperity.

Architect Tanko Serafimov
President, Union of Architects in Bulgaria

Paris:
On behalf of all French architects, I would like to express our indignation and our deep sadness on learning of the catastrophic events that have shaken the United States.

Our hearts go out to your compatriots in these hard days, and all our thoughts and prayers are for those who have perished or who are suffering, including their families.

You have not forgotten Lafayette, and you have shown it twice by coming to fight for freedom at our sides. We have not forgotten the American wooden crosses that stand along the coast and in the fields of France, nor will we ever forget them.

In the name of the past and our shared democratic values, rest assured of our full professional solidarity and our even closer than ever friendship.

We are, of course, at your entire disposal for any help you may feel to be necessary.

There are unfortunately certain terrible signs that cannot be wrongly interpreted, and I am now convinced that we must invent the world of tomorrow around shared humanist identities that are able to go beyond mere economic exchanges that create such glaring disparities.

Please accept my warmest fraternal feelings and our kindest thoughts.

Yours sincerely,
Jean-Francois Susini
National Committee of the Order of Architects President
International Committee of French Architects President

Tel Aviv:
Please accept our expression of sorrow and pain over the great tragedy that has befallen the USA in the last few days.

All of us at the Israel Association of Consulting Engineers and Architects wish to express to you, our colleagues, our deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones, and to the entire American nation.

We stand as one with you in this terrible time.

Respectfully,
Architect Arieh Shilo
Chairman, Israel Organization of Consulting Engineers, Architects, & Technology Graduates

Amsterdam:
The board and members of the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects BNA are appalled by the tragedy in your country. The world changed September 11, 2001: This is the conviction of your fellow architects in the Netherlands, and all of Europe. We extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to all of the victims and the families and friends of those victims of the brutal act of violence.

In this message, we would like to express our sincere sympathy for the American Institute of Architects, and especially those architects and people connected to the Twin Towers. In these last two days, it has become clear that architecture is not only the expression of society, but also a symbol that can be, and which has been attacked. The terrorists responsible for these dreadful events understood the power and symbolism of architecture and tried in vain to destroy its message.

We can merely express our hope and confidence that, in the end, the people of the world will understand what [Russian sculptor Ossip] Zadkine expressed a long time ago, namely that architecture is "the messenger." From now on, your Institute and ours must try to clarify this in our work. All architects need to be prepared to truly face the needs of society.

BNA, the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects, offers all of our help to you and your country in this time of tragedy. We sincerely hope that our free world and society will overcome the unseen powers of terrorism.

Yours sincerely,
President Ir Jan Brouwer and Managing Director Dirk van der Veer, the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects (Bon van Nederlandse Architecten)

Ankara:
We have been following the tragedy the United States has suffered with shock and very deep sorrow. Having had our full share of natural disasters and terrorism, we can feel your pain, the sense of futile loss, and suffering in a very real sense.

Please accept the heartfelt condolences of your fellow architects in Turkey.

Hoping for a better future when peace and sanity prevail over lunacy,

With our best regards,
President Oktay Ekinci
Chamber of Architects in Turkey

Mexico City:
On behalf of all Mexican architects and their families, please receive our deepest condolences for the terrible tragedy your country suffered this past September 11, 2001, a tragedy perpetrated by cowardly, sick-minded terrorists. Please extend this feeling to all our fellow architects of the United States as well as their families.

Those who believe in justice and democracy, as we do, must be certain to act with intelligence and serenity to ascertain that the rights of the world's people are not violated.

Yours truly,
President Manuel Barclay Galindo, Federacion de Colegios de Arquitectos de la Republica Mexicana

Ottawa:
It was with great disbelief and horror that we witnessed the terrible destruction and loss of life in New York and Washington on Tuesday. We extend our concern and sympathy to our friends and colleagues as this horrendous act has touched us all.

Although it will take months, perhaps years, to erase the physical scars, it was welcome news that many architectural firms and their employees who lived and worked near the Trade Center were spared injury.

Speaking for the RAIC Board of Directors, I would like to offer any assistance that we may give you or your members who may have been directly affected. Please do not hesitate to call me personally at any time.

Yours truly,
President Dairmuid Nash, FRAIC, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada

Sydney:
I learned of the terrorist bombings when I was in New Zealand this week, I was attending the death and then funeral of my beloved mother. I have just returned to Australia.

I—like many others in Australia (and New Zealand)—am devastated, sorry, and also angry that such evil could be directed against the United States and its citizens.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all Americans and in particular with our friends at the AIA and all its members who are suffering at this time.

Please be assured that we stand with you, ready to help at all times.

My deepest sympathies to all,
Immediate Past President Ed Haysom, Royal Australian Institute of Architects

London:
On behalf of the president, council, and members of the Commonwealth Association of Architects, I write to send you condolences for the attack on America on Tuesday the 11th of September 2001.

We share your shock and grieve with you for those lives lost.

Our prayers are for your leaders who will guide your nation, with the world, through and beyond this horrific act.

We also pray for the fortitude and safety for those now working to clear and stabilize Manhattan, especially any of your members and their colleagues in the construction industry.

Executive Director Tony Godwin, Commonwealth Association of Architects

Prague:
On behalf of the Czech Chamber of Architects, I would like to express our deep sorrow to all architects of the USA—and all people as well—for the terrorist attack on America. We regret with all our hearts the loss of innocent people and landmark architecture.

Sincerely,
President Petr Bilek, CKA, AIA
Czech Chamber of Architects

Madrid:
On behalf of this Superior Council of Architects, and on behalf of our profession, allow me to share our feelings of shock and solidarity regarding the terrorist attack that happened in your country yesterday, and which affects us all directly. Please accept our sincerest message of sympathy for the victims, and also our willingness to collaborate in whatever actions you think could be useful to repair the consequences of this tragedy.

Best regards,
President Jaime Durg Pifarre
Consejo Superior de Los Colegios de Arquitectos de Espana

Bilbao:
We would like to express our deepest regret about yesterday's tragic events in NYC and Washington, D.C.

In Basque country, we have been forced by long-term lasting terrorist activities to decide to hold together as a democratic and open-minded community.

I am convinced that your country will manage to cope with the situation in a satisfactory and future-looking way. Please be assured of our continued collaboration, both personally and professionally.

Kind regards and all the best.
Yours sincerely,
President Javier Salazar Rucauer, College of Architects of Vasco Navarro, Bilbao, Spain

Bangladesh:
The architects of Bangladesh, the Institute of Architects Bangladesh, and I personally express our deep sympathy for the unprecedented and violent terrorist act that caused complete destruction of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center as well as part of the Pentagon.

The Twin Towers were considered one of the finest office towers in the world and part of a glorious Modern architecture heritage. This heinous atrocity is nothing but a shameful and hatred act against world civilization, peace, and tranquility.

We have no language to express our condolences to you for the loss of innumerable human lives and valuable properties. Please accept our profound sympathy, even though we know no words can match the loss generated by this barbarous act.

We pray for the eternal peace of all departed souls. May God the Almighty rest them in heaven.

With best regards,
President Rabiul Husain
Institute of Architects Bangladesh

Tokyo:
I have just received news of the incredible tragedies that have taken place in New York and Washington, D.C.

I can find no words to properly express the sorrow and sympathy that I feel for the victims of these tragedies, as well as the anger I feel toward the terrorists. I sincerely hope that the entire staff and members of the AIA are safe.

If there is some way in which the JIA can help during this time of crisis, please do not hesitate to call on us.

Sincerely yours,

President Narifumi Murao
The Japanese Institute of Architects

Washington, D.C.

To All at the UIA General Secretariat:

All of us at the AIA are deeply moved and grateful for your messages of support and compassion following Tuesday's terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. It is a great comfort to us to see such a universal outpouring of concern from our colleagues around this ever-smaller planet.

As architects, whose mission is to create and build, it is telling to us that in these outrageous acts terrorists have chosen to strike out at two of our nation's most recognizable architectural icons. The destruction of human life and national confidence were the obvious goals, but the vehicles to those ends are our work and our responsibility. We who build for the comfort, safety, and delight of humanity are deeply saddened by this tragic perversion of the architect's most basic strengths: the capacity to make real what the human mind can imagine.

September 11, 2001, was indeed, a day of tragedy, pain, and outrage, and those feelings will continue for a lifetime. But already today we sense other feelings coming to the fore, feelings of unity and resolve to bring those responsible for such cowardly acts to swift justice. It is further heartening to hear our national leaders and others—just 48 hours after these terrible events—talking of rebuilding. Such remarks are a reminder that civilized societies often express their optimism in the face of crisis through an act of creation, choosing to focus on what will be, not what was.

We will rebuild.

John D. Anderson, FAIA, President
Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, Executive Vice President/CEO
The American Institute of Architects

Copyright 2001 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.