President Petr Pavel honors Czech 9/11 victims in New York

Czech President Petr Pavel visited the World Trade Center memorial in New York to honor Lukáš Rambousek and Alena Sešínová, two Czech citizens killed during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. During his visit, Pavel laid a wreath at the Tree of Freedom and reflected on the nature of terrorism, noting that its goal is to cause shock and that yielding to violence can encourage further aggression.

Pavel’s visit to New York is part of a larger trip to attend the United Nations General Assembly. During his stay, he met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres to discuss organizational reforms and express support for changes to the General Assembly and Security Council. Additionally, Pavel highlighted Czechia’s campaign for a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2032–2033 term, noting that securing such a position will require years of diplomatic engagement with member states.