Two giant beams will pierce the sky over Budapest. New trees will take root in Japan and Canada, and the mournful strains of Mozart's Requiem will roll across the globe.
With hymns and bells, candlelight vigils, speeches and silence, the world will mark the anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the United States that killed 3,000 people and ushered in a new era of global terrorism.
In Australia, sirens will wail, construction workers will down tools and motorists across the country will shine their headlights in a massive show of solidarity with those struck by the tragedy.
But while most Western countries are planning emotional commemorations of the assaults on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by Islamic militants, the Muslim community is remaining much more discreet.
Outside the US embassies, no official events are scheduled in countries such as Lebanon, Iran, Turkey and Kuwait. In Egypt, one of Washington's closest Arab allies, a photo exhibit will be held at the government newspaper, Al-Ahram.
In Pakistan, a frontline state in the US "war on terrorism" where security remains tight following a series of attacks by Islamic extremists, memorials will be subdued.
A photo exhibit will be held in Karachi, where the US consulate was the target of a deadly suicide car bomb attack in June.
Pakistan's Christian community, which has suffered four fatal strikes, will hold special prayer services.
In Malaysia, the US embassy is staging a small ceremony in which the Stars and Stripes will be lowered to half mast, but a foreign ministry official said no government official would attend.
Washington's friends in Europe and elsewhere, meanwhile, geared for a massive show of solidarity with the United States a year after suicide commandos manning hijacked airliners committed the worst terrorist acts in history.
About 500 foreigners were among the 3,034 people who died in the attacks claimed by millionaire Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden.
"It's going to be really hard," a trader at Cantor Fitzgerald in London said of Wednesday's anniversary. "It's going to bring back lots of memories you wish would go away."
The day is also likely to have a strong political subtext, with the United States fighting an uphill battle for world support for a pre-emptive strike against Iraq as the next phase of its war on terrorism.
At 8.46am New York time, when the first jet slammed into the trade center's north tower, stock exchanges in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Tokyo and elsewhere will observe a moment of silence along with those at "Ground Zero," the site of the fallen twin towers.
A global performance of Mozart's Requiem, nicknamed the "Rolling Requiem," will start off in Auckland, New Zealand, and be played in 125 places around the world, including Vienna.
The Hungarian capital, Budapest - which is New York's sister city - is to flash two giant beams of light vertically towards the sky, symbolising the trade centre.
In Warsaw, residents will rally in front of the US embassy and follow a minute of silence by sounding their car horns all over the city. An obelisk dedicated to the six Polish victims will be unveiled.
In Madrid, which has been the target of attacks by Basque separatists, the city hall will organise a festival in Colon Plaza that day to pay tribute to all victims of terrorism.
In Israel, which has been rocked by suicide bombings by Palestinian militants, a conference on "trends in terrorism after September 11, 2001" will be held as a gesture of support for the United States, the Jewish state's main ally.
Photo exhibits, concerts, church services and other ceremonies have also been organised across the world.
In Paris, President Jacques Chirac will visit the US embassy for a service. Another ceremony is being organised by the Senate in the Luxembourg gardens, and two masses are planned at the Madeleine
church and Notre Dame cathedral.
In Brussels, the president of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, will take part in two ceremonies, while a multifaith service at the US ambassador's residence is planned in Moscow.
Pope John Paul II is to dedicate his weekly audience on Wednesday to the disaster, and Italians plan a football match between teams of fashion designers and racing drivers to raise funds for Italian-American victims of the attacks.
In Tokyo, a maple tree will be planted alongside the US embassy.
A Canadian maple and an American oak will be planted on a hill near the parliament and doves will be released elsewhere in the country.
In Beijing, a photo exhibition, After September 11: Images from Ground Zero, will be opened at the Beijing National Library.
Representatives of Indonesia's major religions will join US officials and government officials at a ceremony and choral recital, while in Singapore churches, mosques and other houses of worship will ring their bells.
In Vietnam and neighbouring Cambodia, US embassies will hold small ceremonies with invited local dignitaries.
© AAP
