At the initiative of Belgium’s Federal Minister for SME’s, Agriculture and Social Integration Denis Ducarme, the ALDE Party and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation office in Brussels held an event to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Former MEP and ALDE Party Secretary General Mechthild von Alemann and Hungarian MEP Katalin Cseh joined the commemoration.

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was a pivotal moment in Europe’s history, which led to the collapse of the Iron Curtain and the reunification of Europe. In 2004, 2007 and 2013, the European Union welcomed new member states that used to be “behind the curtain.” European integration has continued, and more than 500 million citizens now benefit from the four European Union freedoms – goods, services, people and capital. Yet, in recent years, across the European Union there are forces on the extreme fringes of the political spectrum that question our freedoms.

Opening the event, Minister Ducarme said: "Extreme left and extreme right need to be treated with equal concern. It is our duty as Liberals to stand against both."

Mechthild von Alemann said: "There was something happening in Berlin, said the TV news. We rushed down to watch and found our lives would be forever different."

Katalin Cseh said: "The wall fell. And my region could breathe again. While some still try to build walls, we are stronger to fight back."

Following their speeches, the three personalities opened a photo exhibition. You can watch the photo's below in our photo album. You can watch a live recording below the photo album.