September 26, 2001
Messages of sympathy, grief and hope pour in
In the days after the Sept. 11 attack, letters from around the world show that we are not alone.

There are no words to express the shock, grief and devastation with which we are all overwhelmed in the aftermath of the horror and mayhem that has struck America. Education International stands in heartfelt sympathy and full solidarity with its American colleagues and the American people. The terrorist attack against the USA is an attack against the ideals which constitute the basis of our open and democratic societies, the same ideals which unite members of Education International. The combat against terrorism and the fundamentalism that breeds it requires intensified international cooperation and solidarity.

Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary
Education International

I do not know how to express my shock and disgust at what happened in New York and Washington. No cause can be served through indiscriminate attacks on unarmed, ordinary citizens. Pass our solidarity message to the American Federation of Teachers leadership and membership. We wish this could not have happened. Pass also our deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this extremely senseless act.

T.W. Nxesi, General Secretary
South African Democratic Teachers Union

As the entire world reeled from the shock, and as individuals everywhere tried to come to terms with the stunning reality of yesterday's catastrophic events, teachers throughout North America were on the front lines all day long doing what teachers do best: educating, supporting and advising the youngest and most fragile of our nation's citizens.

Your teaching colleagues in North Vancouver, Canada, applaud the dedication and the compassion you have shown individually and collectively.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you continue, in the face of adversity, to support one another and the children in your care.

Diane Nelson, President
North Vancouver TA

On behalf of National Union of Teachers members in Inner London, please accept our deepest condolences for the tragic events that have taken place in your city and convey our sympathy and solidarity to the teachers, pupils and parents of the children of your city and to the families, friends and locals of the firefighters and emergency workers and all those who lost their lives in seeking to save the lives of others.

Bernard Regan, Baljeet Ghale
National Executive Members National Union of Teachers
London, England

This is an open letter of thanks to the faculty, staff and students of Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus.

While the sun was being obscured behind a billowing cloud of tragedy, the community of Long Island University rallied, without pause, to help the refugees that fled lower Manhattan on foot.

Those who helped will say that they only offered water, bandages or a smile. While this is factual, what is true is that these volunteers offered hope.

Hope that humanity can thrive even in the darkest hour. With every cup of water, they spread the hope that there are 1,000 people who care for every two that hate. With every word of comfort, these people passed on the hope that survival was possible. With every bandage, there was hope that wounds, emotional and physical, will heal.

For this, I want to thank them. I also want to thank them for answering the call to service, the call to arms against fear, the call to spread a ray of hope and pierce the ashen cloud that darkened both the sky and our hearts.

A mere letter is pitiful, but it is all I have to offer.

In eternal gratitude,

Robert S. Nelson, Librarian
Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus

It is with the utmost horror, dismay and grief we have lived through these past long hours since the frightful disaster hit your country. The catastrophic blow you are suffering has also torn an open wound in our hearts.

Eirikur Jonsson, President
Lillemor Darinder, Secretary General
Nordiske Laererorganisationers Samrad, Copenhagen

We are shocked by the horrendous terrorist act É we pray in sorrow for those killed. Russian teachers extend to the people of the United States, to education workers, to students, to their families, our deep condolences and support in this difficult moment. Our feelings of repulsion of terrorism and non-tolerance in any of its forms are as strong as yours. Please be sure that we are together with you in this dark day.

Vladimir Yakovlev, President
Education and Science Employees' Union of Russia

We in Israel understand very well what the families and friends of the dead and injured victims must be going through at this most terrible and shocking time. On behalf of all the workers in Israel, I would like to express my deepest and most heartfelt condolences to all those directly affected by this disgusting and outrageous act of insane and inhuman violence. It has been said before and cannot be said enough times that terrorism is the enemy of the free world. We have no doubt that the American nation will rise to the occasion and eventually overcome and defeat this evil and continue to lead the free, democratic world against extreme factions.

Amir Peretz, Chairman
Histadrut-General Federation of Labor in Israel

It is obviously with shock and disbelief that we watched the terrible events in New York and Washington. On behalf of Public Services International, I offer you condolences and support as your union copes with what may be the loss of many members and activists or the grief of those who have lost family members.

Hans Engelberts, General Secretary
Public Services International

The events of Sept. 11 have undermined our sense of security in many ways. They are not just violations of our people and our symbols of power, they are violations of our basic trust in reason.

Despite some internal national conflicts, our members have chosen to work within our democracy with a sense that we could make a difference in deciding how to use our great power justly in the world. Although we have been deeply disturbed about injustice, poverty, and inequity and the violence they instigate, we have also harbored a belief that we could find ways to remediate these evils by understanding them. Now the evidence of such immense violence, used so irrationally, has challenged our belief that we could make sense of things to ourselves and to others.

In the presence of such a rebuke to our deepest convictions, it is tempting not to think at all, but to act instinctively. As an association of university professors that is distinctively American, however, we are called by all the elements of our identity to reaffirm our faith in the power of knowledge to hold back the irrational. We therefore affirm, for our colleagues throughout this country, that we will continue to fight violence with renewed dedication to the exercise of freedom of thought and the expression of that freedom in our teaching.

Jane Buck, President
Mary Burgan, General Secretary
American Association of University Professors

On behalf of the 65,000 members of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, we extend our deepest sympathy to you, to your members and to an entire nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your members. Their loss is so personal and so close to home, yet we all are diminished by this mindless fury. The range of emotions everyone experienced as we watched the tragedy unfold were vast - shock, denial, fear, sorrow, rage, compassion and, finally, a resolve to work for a

better tomorrow.

Phyllis Benedict, President
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario

We strongly condemn any form of violence and terrorism, particularly when innocent people are targeted. I would like to express my greatest sympathy and solidarity with the AFT and all American citizens who have been affected by this immense tragedy.

Anita Car, President>
Trade Union of Kindergarten, Elementary and High School Employees of Croatia

We are shocked and shaken by the abominable terror attack on your country. The people of Israel, the Israeli teachers and the leadership of the Israel Teachers Union are mournful with you about the terrible disaster.

Abraham Ben-Shabat, General Secretary
Israel Teachers Union

We strongly condemn this vicious act of violence not only against the American people, but also against humanity, democracy and freedom. Terrorism's indifference to human life is utterly disgusting and will not be tolerated. We extend our deep-felt condolences to families and friends of so many innocent victims of this tragedy.

Jaroslav Rossler, President
Czech and Moravian Trade Union of Workers in Education

On behalf of 50,000 teachers and educational workers who are members of OSSTF, I would like to express our shock and horror regarding the terrorist attacks on the United States of America. We all watched in disbelief as the events unfolded throughout the day and we were all shaken to the core. No one will forget the tragic events, nor will they ever forget their feelings of sorrow and the great sense of loss. OSSTF wishes to express to you, the AFT and all your members our deepest sympathies and offer our support to assist in any way.

Earl Manners, President
Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation

The symbol of freedom came under attack by terrorist acts. Mass murder and nightmarish scenes of people on fire jumping from buildings must shock every human being. We are praying for the families of victims and expressing to you and our American friends our deepest condolences.

Agim Hyseni, President
Union of Education, Science
and Culture, Kosovo