This month marked a day in history when the world stood still. Glued to our television screens, we witnessed horrifying images of the World Trade Centre engulfed in flames and people desperately running for their lives, and fear and sadness overwhelmed the world on 11 September 2001.

That day will be forever etched in our collective memory as one of the most awful and devastating events in recent history. However, I now ask − is the world any different to what it was over a decade ago?

The aftermath of that tragic day taught us a number of valuable lessons that transformed the way we live as a global nation. As events unfolded in front of our incredulous eyes, it made us all question the level of security and safety, not only across the globe but also on our home turf as the scenes made it so unrealistically real that it felt like it was all happening in our back garden. 9/11 ignited a sense of globalised empathy and elicited a resounding condemnation of fundamentalist ideologies in the name of religion. It felt like we were all one big nation fighting against one big monster: terrorism.

We have begun to identify the tangible consequences of hatred in the form of terrorist attacks. We no longer dismiss the unthinkable because we have learnt that man is capable of atrocious deeds. The aftermath of 9/11 is still reverberating today as the world continues to combat terrorism in the name of world peace and prosperity.

The consequences of the 9/11 attacks, and our subsequent emotional and moral reactions to them, continue to ripple through communities around the world. In some ways, I believe that we have become suspicious of people in every aspect of our lives.

Despite strict and (sometimes) controversial security measures that have been implemented at national borders to prevent further attacks, the ideas associated with terrorism have not gone away, as lives sadly continue to be lost in the name of terror. We have been scarred by images that haunt us like recurring nightmares and, as such, we still feel paranoid about our safety. When travelling, for instance, most of us would admit to anxiously scrutinising the person sitting next to us on the plane. Could this guy be a terrorist? This feeling might have perhaps disappeared by now, but it certainly was the case in the months following the attacks.

More and more effort is needed on a global scale to guarantee safety our citizens by integrating innovative state of the art measures worldwide. Much has already been done. Border controls are increasingly reinforced to detect and foil terrorist attacks in an ever-developing world where new technologies and schemes are being devised and adopted by terrorist groups to crack the system. Intelligence gathering and the ability to connect the dots are paramount in the war against terror.

News headlines of foiled terrorist plots around the world offer hope for a better tomorrow. It is comforting and reassuring but regrettably it is often short-lived. This (false) sense of security may provide a false sense of safety as evidenced in the past weeks. It was deeply disturbing and upsetting to hear about the tragic loss of the American Ambassador to Libya and other American diplomats. He was a true gentleman, as described by his fellow countrymen, who genuinely believed in a free Libya. It was totally uncalled for and senseless.

The wave of terrorist attacks that followed is a bitter reminder that the world is still hostage to extremists and fundamentalists. Any form of vilification of Islam must be vehemently condemned and abhorred. Any form of retaliation or retribution as a counter offensive must likewise be avoided. This level of hatred, violence, death and destruction can never be justified and can never be accepted or tolerated.

Sadly, some seem to dismiss and categorise the Muslim race as being one big cult of terrorists. This is hugely prejudicial, discriminatory and unjust for the vast majority of the millions of Muslims around the world who practise, as is their unalienable right, their religion in good faith. It is the extremists and fundamentalists who chose to interpret Islam to justify their acts that should be condemned. However understandable (yet incorrect) such a perception may be, given that such terrorists associate themselves with Islam, generalising and putting all in one basket is not the way to go.

This state of play raises the urgent need for us all to continue promoting racial integration, tolerance and multiculturalism. We must learn to understand and accept each other and ultimately respect our differences. The concept of diversity, perhaps elusive to most, means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognising our individual differences. It is the exploration of our differences in a safe, positive and nurturing environment.

It is about embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity that is within each individual. Perhaps it is then that humankind can embark on a journey to lasting peace and prosperity.

The author is a PN general election candidate and Deputy Mayor of Siggiewi