“As the Iron Curtain of the Cold War split Europe in two, millions of people were trapped under the authoritarian rule of the Soviet Union. Around the world, people were clearly confronted with the horrors of communism and socialism in opposition to the prosperity of freedom.

“In Berlin, the disparity was unmistakable. Berliners living under the socialist East German government faced shortages of food and clothing. Their civil liberties were repeatedly violated by the Stasi – the socialist secret police of the East German government. As life got worse, many East Berliners fled to the West, where the Allies helped to recreate a culture of freedom, liberty and prosperity.

“To stem the humiliating flow of refugees into West Berlin, the Soviet Union erected the Berlin Wall – a concrete barrier that, for millions, would become an unmistakable manifestation of communist oppression. Families were cruelly separated from one another. The East German economy floundered, leaving millions of people destitute.

“Mercifully, on November 9, 1989, the Wall came down. As independence movements and anti-communist rallies spread across the Soviet Bloc, millions of East Germans gathered at the Wall in mass protest, ultimately opening the way for the reunification of Berlin.

“Today, as we honour the legacy of those who tirelessly fought for liberty and held on to hope in those dark days of separation, we remember this triumphant victory of freedom over and pledge to stand against communism, fascism, and all other forms of socialism."