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LEAD-IN BY HOST KATHRYN BINOVI: Its been almost a year since a 767 flew into the North Tower of New York's World Trade Center, the first a series of carefully orchestrated plane crashes that ended the lives of thousands. Renee Feltz explores the diverse events Houstonians have planned to mark the emotional first anniversary of 11, September, 2001. STORY: "We have all shared in this 911. Regardless of what our tradition is, regardles of what or backorund is. This is a moment we all shared together, and we grieve together, and we are anquished by this together." Sunna Umari, executive director of the Rothko Chapel, is one of the many organizers of events in Houston commemorating the 3,000 human lives lost one year ago when four commercial jets were hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and a feild in Pennsylvania. Togetherness, hope, unity, patriotism and even educational themes have been chosen as ways to mark one of the most memorable days in recent history - a day that has generated fear and anger - a day that many are now hoping to turn into an opportunity for reflection and healing. In the weeks following the plane crashes of 11 September, media talking heads often referred to the hijackers as muslim terrorists, some described Islam the religion of our enemies. Rarely mentioned in the mainstream coverage of "America under Attack," were the hundreds of Arabs and Muslims that perished in the burning symbols of United States world dominance. A year later, the American Muslim community is reaching out to Houstonians with a series of events including a Sunday interfaith community art and music commemorative afternoon at the Arab American Cultural Community Center [from 2:30 to 5:30pm.] On Wednesday, the Houston Muslim Unity Coalition invites non-musilms to attend open house as the Islamic Society of Greater Houston's main center during afternoon prayers. Later that evening, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church will host "Requiem for Sept. 11: Music, Readings and Prayers in Muslim, Christian and Jewish Traditions." Organizers of the events hope the opportunity to come together for prayers and reflection will promote understanding of the Muslim community often mis-understood since 11 September. Kamal Khalil explains: "Most people will have the opportunity to talk to each other, to see each other face-to-face, and talk to each other and listen to each other. Hopefully understand the background of each other, and from that point know how to overcome the events of the tragedy that happened on September 11, and hopefully with that in mind eliminate most of the aftermath that hapened, meaning the profiling, the hate and the crimes that happened after 9-11, that was as painful as 9-11 and in certain cases, even more." The City of Houston is has two events planned for Wednesday, marking what George Bush has declared as Patriot Day. A solemn ceremony in front of City Hall will start at 7:46 a.m. - the time of the first plane crash into the World Trade Center. The Houston Parks and Recreation Department helped organize the event. Spokesperson Susan Christian explains its purpose: "Obviously it will be patriotic, but really it is a kind of reflection." [Mayor Lee Brown will begin ceremony will begin with a moment of silence, alongside the consular core, and numerous other organizations. Chaplians from the police and fire deparments will also be in attendance.] Wednesday night at Herman Park, a city sponsored concert billed as Celebrating the American Spirit will allow those working on the newly declared Patriot Day to attend the city's second commemoration event. The Houston Symphony and Jerry Jeff Walker will perform. Visitors can also view a photo exhibit documenting the tragic events titled "Here is New York," and 5 steel beams from the world trade center. Also on Wednseday evening, the Menil Musuem and Rothko chapel will host September 11: Remembering Together. Beginning in the main foyer of the museum the public is invited to gather for readings by artists and writers representing a wide range of cultures and voices. While the selected poetry and prose peices will emphasize the human responses to tragedy throughout the ages that encourage unity rather than division. Deborah Velders initiated this reading: "Rather than assuming as a choice between violence or not violence, I think the flipside of that is that they are pieces speak from one human heart to another." Following the readings will be a candlelight procession to the Rothko Chapel for prayers of hope. Sunna Umari: "We will leave the Menill collection. I'll be given some floating candles, and we will walk together, and as we walk, we will have something from the church of St. Francis of Assissi, singing songs of peace, and we will walk together to the ??? [sic] in front of the Rothko Chapel, and we willput the candles inyto the pool and let them float. And then the representatives of nine religious traditions will offer prayers or readings, and then at 8:30 it will close with the church bells across town ringing." Finally, the Houston Global Awareness Collective, Sisterhood is Global, professor Bob Buzzanco and others are hosting a unique event on Wendesday night at the University of Houston campus. Respectful, but a critical commemoration with an educational discussion on the world's current situation in the wake of last year's attacks. "In a lot of ways, we haven't really moved very far in a year. We're still lacking education, we're still fighint an informatin war. So the speakers that we have lined up are going to take a global perspective on the after effects of September 11, not necessarily how it has affected us domestically but the interactions we've had with the world globally since then." Maureen Haver is a sophomore at UH who helped to invite the speakers for the event. The evening will feature Saundra Alvarez, a Columbian human rights activist, who will speak about the U.S.'s War on Terrorism in the global south, an area that, like the middle east, contains vast oil reserves eyed by the Bush administratin and transnational corporations. Interestingly, these events and other 11 September commemorations are largely transnational in their approach, reflecting the diversity of Americans and all those who died almost one year ago when the jetliners they were aboard took them to a place of permenance in the world psyche. All events are free and open to the public. For compplete details, visit the KPFT News Web site. Renee Feltz, KPFT News, Houston E-mail Renee Feltz at chickpea_@ziplip.com . This story was broadcast on September 6, 2002.