Europe should help rebuild one of the World Trade Center towers as an expression of “solidarity” and a symbol of “brotherhood” toward the United States, an Italian official said yesterday.
“It wasn’t only an attack against the U.S., but the entire western world, and therefore Europe,” said Industry Minister Antonio Marzano.
“The buildings should be rebuilt because it wouldn’t be right to let a bunch of criminals think they’ve won.”
The World Trade Center, a 10 million-square-foot complex, was owned by the Port Authority, which had its headquarters in the buildings.
Its Twin Towers, which were officially opened in 1973, stood at 1,350 feet and cost over $1 billion to build.
Marzano said the price to rebuild the two skyscrapers nearly 30 years later has not yet been calculated, adding, “Fifteen European countries together wouldn’t have difficulty” funding the project.
Mayor Giuliani said the area will be resurrected once the disaster is sorted out.
“There’s no question we’re going to rebuild,” he said.
Marzano said the two new towers could be called the “Tower of Europe” and the “Tower of the United States,” as a symbol of “brotherhood” between Europeans and Americans.