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9/11 -

Easily the most memorable event of 2001 was the September 11 attacks, otherwise known as 9/11. The four coordinated terrorist attacks left 2,977 dead and more than 25,000 injured.

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9/11 -

The September 11 attacks have been described as a "pivotal moment in history" and the world has not been the same since.

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'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' -

This year marks 20 years since the release of the first Harry Potter movie, 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.' It became the highest-grossing film of 2001.

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'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' -

The movie was followed by seven sequels, with the final movie being released in 2011. We wonder if Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson knew what they were in for!

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'Shrek' -

It was also the year that we welcomed our favorite swamp-dwelling ogre into our lives. 'Shrek' was released in May 2001 and received the first ever Best Animated Feature Oscar.

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'Shrek' -

In 2020, the Library of Congress selected 'Shrek' to be preserved in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

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'The Fast and the Furious' -

The first instalment in the Fast & Furious franchise hit the big screen in June 2001. 'The Fast and the Furious' was a commercial success and grossed over US$200 million worldwide.

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'The Fast and the Furious' -

The film was re-released in June 2016 to commemorate its 15-year anniversary. If there are plans to celebrate the 20-year anniversary, they are yet to be announced.

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'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' -

The Lord of the Rings film series also kicked off in 2001 with 'The Fellowship of the Ring.' The movie was the second highest-grossing release of 2001 (after the first Harry Potter film).

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'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' -

'The Fellowship of the Ring' has been described as "one of the greatest and most influential films ever made." It was nominated for 13 Oscars and won four.

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Wikipedia -

In 2021, it is difficult to imagine a world without Wikipedia. The volunteer-written, free encyclopedia is the go-to information source for just about anything and is used the world over.

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Wikipedia -

Wikipedia turned 20 on January 15, 2021, and to celebrate the occasion the Wikimedia Foundation held a livestreamed, virtual event hosted by the platform's founder and CEO.

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Legal same-sex marriage -

In 2000, the legislature of the Netherlands passed a bill for the legalization of same-sex marriage, and on April 1, 2001 it became legal for the first time ever.

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Legal same-sex marriage -

It is not surprising that this LGBTQ milestone was achieved by the Netherlands: the country is culturally liberal and its capital has been named one of the most LGBTQ-friendly in the world.

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El Chapo escape -

Indeed, 2001 was a big year for Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, who managed to escape from the maximum security prison in Jalisco where he was being held.

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El Chapo escape -

His 2001 escape sparked a manhunt that lasted more than a decade. He was eventually recaptured in 2014, but then managed to escape again in 2015. He was captured again 2016 and extradited to the US.

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Oscar for 'Gladiator' -

Ridley Scott's 2000 historical epic 'Gladiator' has been credited with reviving interest in the swords and scandals genre and ancient Greek and Roman culture.

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Oscar for 'Gladiator' -

In 2001, the movie bagged an impressive five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor (for Russell Crowe), Best Costume Design, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects.

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa (re-opened) -

In the Italian city of Pisa rests the famed free-standing bell tower tilting at an iconic almost-four-degree angle. In 1993, the tower was closed for remedial work.

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa (re-opened) -

The tower was opened again to visitors in 2001. In that year it was declared stable for another 300 years, which is good news for the city as it's an important tourist attraction.

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The iPod -

In the age of the iPhone, when phone and MP3 player come together in one handy device, it's easy to forget that everything started out with the humble iPod.

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The iPod -

October 2001 saw the release of the first Apple iPod, which sparked a revolution in personal music listening. Along with it came, of course, iTunes.

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The Eden Project -

The county of Cornwall, England is home to one of the country's top tourist attractions: the Eden Project. The project consists of two domes that house thousands of plant species.

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The Eden Project -

The original Eden Project opened its doors to visitors in 2001, and now there are plans to build an Eden Project North in the seaside town of Morecambe, Lancashire.

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Mars Odyssey -

Of course, 2001 was also a big year for space exploration: it was the year that we saw the launch of the Mars Odyssey, the robotic spacecraft sent into the atmosphere to orbit Mars.

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Mars Odyssey -

Its mission is, among other things, to detect the past or current presence of ice and water on Mars. In 2021 the Mars Odyssey is still in orbit, and it may well run until 2025.

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The passing of Aaliyah -

Sadly, 2001 was also the year that we said goodbye to singer and actress Aaliyah. She was only 22 years old when she died in a tragic airplane accident in the Bahamas.

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The passing of Aaliyah -

Aaliyah's music has continued to find success after her passing, and she has sold an estimated 24-32 millions albums worldwide.

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Billie Eilish -

Get this: 2001 was also the year that the world welcomed singer-songwriter Billie Eilish!

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Billie Eilish -

In 2020, she became the youngest person ever to win the four main Grammy categories. Way to go, Billie Eilish!

Sources: (The Guardian)

See also: Movies that turn 30 in 2021

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