---
title: "Chisinau exhibition honors 25th anniversary of 9/11"
url: https://moldova1.md/p/85095/chisinau-exhibition-honors-25th-anniversary-of-9-11
published: 2026-09-11T07:10:00Z
language: en
author: "Ana Cebotari"
section: "Social"
source: moldova1.md
---

# Chisinau exhibition honors 25th anniversary of 9/11

> An open-air exhibition has opened in the Stefan Cel Mare Public Garden in central Chisinau to commemorate the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks. The exhibition pays special tribute to Arkady Zaltsman, an architect originally from the Republic of Moldova, who was tragically killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/b4cecace-4984-4dce-b81e-31de01dd25ef.jpg)

An open-air exhibition has opened in the Stefan Cel Mare Public Garden in central Chisinau to commemorate the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks. The exhibition pays special tribute to Arkady Zaltsman, an architect originally from the Republic of Moldova, who was tragically killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

The event commemorates “the 2,977 victims, the heroes who intervened that day, and the families whose lives were changed forever,” reports the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau.

One of the victims was Arkady Zaltsman, who was born in Chisinau and immigrated to the United States in 1989. Before his departure, he contributed to the design of the building that now houses the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova, where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1991.

In the United States, Zaltsman rebuilt his career and worked for the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. On the morning of September 11, 2001, he was on the 105th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center, presenting his projects for the Aon Corporation. Among the ruins of the World Trade Center, only his wedding ring was later found, which has since become a symbol of memory and family connection.

In memory of the architect from Chisinau, retired Colonel Eduard Stahi and Arina Gumaniuc-Stahi commissioned an artistic piece dedicated to him. A photograph of the painting is included in the exhibition at the Stefan cel Mare Public Garden.

“Through art, memory, and the history that connects us, Arkady’s legacy continues to build bridges between our communities,” said the United States Embassy.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/5e905dcf-f82c-4ebd-bf4b-384de950a116.jpg)

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/df77e201-f1d5-4ede-a319-d8688d7878f0.jpg)

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/cffdb208-2bf2-4a0c-877e-b7e9490a49bc.jpg)

The victims of the attacks were commemorated in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. At the beginning of the session on September 10, the deputies observed a minute of silence. The Speaker of Parliament, Igor Grosu, said the tragedy from 25 years ago highlights how fragile peace is and how quickly a society can be affected.

“September 11, 2001, is a day that remains etched in the memory of the entire world. Although 25 years have passed, the pain for thousands of families persists,” Grosu said. He emphasized that the lessons from this day are particularly relevant given the ongoing war launched by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four passenger planes. The terrorist attacks targeted three significant buildings in the United States: the World Trade Center twin towers in New York City and the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, missing its intended target, which was the White House.

All passengers on board the planes, including the terrorists, died in the attacks, resulting in a total of 2,977 fatalities as the twin towers collapsed.

After the tragedy, toxic smoke and dust enveloped New York for days. Many survivors and rescuers continue to suffer from respiratory diseases and severe forms of cancer linked to exposure to these toxic substances.