World Freedom Day is about the end of communism in Central and Eastern Europe.

After Germany’s defeat in World War II, the country got divided into two parts: Germany and East Germany. Germany was controlled by the American, British, and some French-occupied sectors. The East was controlled by the Soviet Union. East Germany even became its own country and its own capital, East Berlin. A wall was built to restrict the residents of East Germany from entering, or even interacting, with their counterparts to the West.

During the Cold War “electric fences, watchtowers, and minefields were installed along the 91-mile wall,” according to the National Day Calendar, but people still tried to escape from the Communist-controlled East Germany into the free country of Germany.

The wall was taken down on November 9, 1989, two years after Ronald Regan’s famous “Tear down this wall” speech. The two countries were reunified. People had their freedom but it was a hard won freedom.

World Freedom Day was decided on November 9, 2001 by President George Bush and has this is the 20^th anniversary of the announcement. In 2020, 32 years after the Germans gained their freedom, World Freedom Day recognizes the need to continue to strive for freedom everywhere.

To celebrate the moment, people can watch documentaries like Busting the Berlin Wall, Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall, or After the Wall: A World United. We can also celebrate by spreading the word to family and friends about the end of the Cold War, when the wall was taken down.

Freedom is constantly being threatened around the world, but World Freedom Day reminds us that it is valuable and important for everyone and should be defended on our shores and across the sea.