Hollywood actor Robert de Niro has attended a memorial service in his native New York as the world remembers those killed in the attacks on 11 September.

The Oscar-winning star is fiercely proud of his city and has been spearheading drives to revive Manhattan, such as launching the Tribeca Festival to encourage economic development in the area.

He took his place alongside leaders and dignitaries at Ground Zero, where the World Trade Center once stood, for a one minute silence at 0846 local time (1346BST).

At the ceremony former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani led the assembled crowd of bereaved families and New Yorkers in reciting the names of the 2,801 victims.

Meanwhile Beatle John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono went on MTV in the US to plead for everyone to give peace a chance as she released a short film to mark the anniversary.

Yoko appeared on MTV to talk about her short film

"Let's create peace, unity and light. I think John's words are needed just as much now as when they were written - 'Imagine all the people living in peace' and 'give peace a chance'," she said.

The film takes the viewer on a journey through a dark corridor to a door with light shining through. Ono then directs the viewer up a ladder where the lyrics to Lennon's Give Peace a Chance are written on the ceiling.

Halt

"Like all of us, I'd like to see the human race survive, living in health and in love with each other," said Ono, who was widowed when Lennon was shot in New York.

The hustle and bustle of the Toronto Film Festival was put on hold during the morning of the anniversary as a mark of respect for the victims.

Last year's festival came to a temporary halt as the events unfolded before the eyes of the attending members of the film industry.

Two films centred on the atrocities will be shown during the 10-day event including a gala screening of The Guys, starring Sigourney Weaver and Anthony LaPalglia, which focuses on the strain of one fire captain.

There will also be a presentation of 11'09"01, a compilation of short films about events on the day.

Berkoff's Requiem for Ground Zero was first seen in Edinburgh

In the UK, actor Steven Berkoff gave a special reading of his epic Requiem for Ground Zero poem in London.

Beijing tribute

He performed the hour-long piece, which premièred at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith on Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday also saw the conclusion of the Brave New World theatre marathon in the US.

A host of stars including Sarah Jessica Parker, Alec Baldwin and Calista Flockhart have been taking part in a three-day event which sees 50 new plays, songs and multi-media pieces dealing with the aftermath of 11 September performed.

Money raised from the shows at New York's Town Hall are being donated to the New York Children's Foundation, dedicated to children affected by the attacks.

In Beijing, a photographic exhibition called After September 11: Images from Ground Zero was unveiled.

During the opening Chinese-speaking New York actor Ron Silver, who stars in The West Wing and boxing movie Ali, was due to deliver a speech alongside US ambassador Clark Randt and Vice Minister of Culture Pan Zhenzhou.