Remembrance Ceremony Honors Victims, Survivors 27 Years After Murrah Building Bombing

It has been 27 years since 168 lives were taken and the state of Oklahoma was changed forever following the bombing at the Murrah building in Oklahoma City.

Survivors, first responders and family members of the victims of the bombing gathered on Tuesday morning for the Remembrance Ceremony.

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That ceremony took place at First Church in downtown starting at 8:45 a.m.

Those who delivered remarks included Governor Kevin Stitt and United States Congresswoman Stephanie Bice. This year's keynote speaker is Philippe Etienne, the Ambassador of France to the United States.

Once the remarks were finished, the names of all 168 lives that were lost on April 19th, 1995 were read.

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Organizers with the memorial say it is important to gather each year to remember this day that's etched into the state's history.

"It's that important in our country's history to stop and to remember what we lost and the strength and the resilience of the survivors and the first responders. And to honor those families with their incredible loss, but also to celebrate how they moved forward together in the lessons that we can learn from them," said Kari Watkins, Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum Director.

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The memorial and museum is offering free admission on Tuesday until 5 p.m.