The fall of the Berlin Wall signaled the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. At a 25th anniversary ceremony in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the historic event carries a message for today.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel: “It showed that we have the power to shape our destiny and make things better. That is the message of the fall of the wall. It is directed at us in Germany, but also at others in Europe and the world, especially to people in Ukraine, in Syria, Iraq and other regions where human rights are threatened or violated.”