‘White Wings Over America’ 9/11 Tribute and Dove Release Set for Wildlife West

EDGEWOOD, N.M. — Wildlife West Nature Park will join a synchronized national remembrance Friday, releasing a flock of white doves to honor the victims, firefighters, and first responders of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The memorial gathering, titled “White Wings Over America,” is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. at the park, located at 87 North Frontage Road off Interstate 40 in Edgewood. Wildlife West represents one of two designated sites in New Mexico participating in the coordinated tribute, alongside memorial releases held in the Albuquerque metro area at Vista Verde Memorial Park in Rio Rancho.

The ceremony will feature guest speakers who were present in New York during and after the 2001 attacks, offering firsthand accounts before dozens of white doves take flight. Admission to the park is free all day as a gesture of appreciation for first responders, and the public is invited to attend. Complimentary refreshments will be served.

The nationwide initiative traces its origins to 2011, when the National White Dove Release Society organized “White Wings Across America” to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The initial plan aimed for a single, synchronized release at the exact moment the first plane struck the World Trade Center.

The concept quickly expanded internationally, drawing participation from pigeon fanciers and release professionals across Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Because multiple global time zones prevented a single simultaneous launch, organizers adapted the tribute to staggered morning windows. That inaugural campaign saw more than 3,500 white doves released worldwide, making it what organizers recognized as the largest coordinated dove release in history while broadening its tribute to honor military service members lost in the War on Terror.

Fifteen years after that first coordinated flight, independent handlers and community parks continue the tradition annually.

Members of the public seeking more information about Friday’s observance can contact Wildlife West Nature Park at 505-281-7655