The twentieth anniversary of 11M will be commemorated this Monday within the framework of the European Day of Victims of Terrorism with several events throughout Spain, the main one in the Gallery of the Royal Collections with the presence of the kings, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez and European authorities.
The European Day of Victims of Terrorism was established because on March 11, 2004, the largest terrorist attack on European soil occurred in the capital of Spain, which left 193 dead and more than 2,000 injured, to whom Europe pays tribute in Madrid this Monday.
In addition to the Spanish authorities, the vice president for the promotion of the European way of life, Margaritis Schinas, and the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, will participate, since the European Commission has chosen Madrid this year for this event to coincide with the anniversary.
It was on March 25, 2004, fourteen days after the attack, when the European Commission agreed that every year the day of the victims was celebrated on March 11 to show solidarity with them, as well as unity and resilience against terrorism and violent extremism.
The Gallery of the Royal Collections will host the central event with the kings and the President of the Government to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of that attack, perpetrated in the early hours of the morning on several Cercanías trains in which hundreds of workers and students were traveling.
The ceremony, in which Felipe VI and Sánchez, among other authorities, will participate, will also serve to hear the testimonies of victims and survivors because, according to the European Commission, “their voices are powerful and necessary in the fight against terrorism and radicalization” .
Furthermore, on the entrance route to the Royal Collections, in the Patio de la Armería, the personalities who attend the event will be able to see the exhibition “20 years of 11M. Memory of pain and solidarity”, organized by the Foundation and the Memorial Center of Victims of Terrorism with 67 photos from the EFE Agency distributed on several outdoor panels.
Like every anniversary, the Community of Madrid pays tribute to the security forces, emergency services and citizens who helped the victims and the Association of Victims of Terrorism remembers those who died in the Forest of Remembrance in El Retiro Park, events at those attended by the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo.
Also at 12:00 noon the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) has called for a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the terrorist attacks of March 11, 2004 in town halls throughout Spain.