IP/09/1685 Brussels, 9 November 2009 EU commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall, reproduces the domino effect Today the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament, Heads of State and Government as well as hundreds of thousands of citizens join together to celebrate the 20 th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a unique event in contemporary history and a landmark for European integration. President Barroso, who participates in the official "Festival of Freedom" in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin tonight, said: "The fall of the Berlin Wall represents not only the collapse of totalitari anism in Central and Eastern Europe, but is also an impressive symbol of the reunification of Germany and the whole of Europe. The 9 November 1989 was a moment in which everything seemed possible, marked by happiness, a desire for freedom and the idea of a peaceful revolution. A truly historic day that reminded me in many regards of the Portuguese revolution of 1974 that I experienced as an 18-year old student." " 1989 was a year that transformed Europe and the fall of the Berlin Wall was one of the most striking symbolic images of our times", said Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Inter-institutional Relations and Communication Strategy. Under the slogan “Europe Whole and Free” the European Commission has organised numerous actions and event s at national and EU level throughout the year to commemorate the fall of the iron curtain. Tonight, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather in Berlin in order to attend the celebrations of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Commission President José Manuel Barroso will be among them and will give a short address to the public. The centre piece of the "Festival of Freedom" will be an artistic project reproducing the domino effect of the events in 1989. Organised by the City of Berlin with the participation of the Commission's Directorate General for Communication and the Commission Representation in Berlin, 1000 giant domino pieces lined up over 1.2 km on the former site of the Berlin wall from Checkpoint Charlie to the Reichstag will be made to collapse as the Wall once did. The symbolic domino pieces have been painted all around the world, mainly by school children but also by several public figures including Commission President Barroso and European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek who will contribute to toppling the dominos in Berlin. For further information www.europa1989-2009.eu http://www.mauerfall09.de/en/home.html