Editorial by Luca Jahier, EESC President and Co-Chair of the Liaison Group
This autumn, we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and commemorating the key events leading up to it. The Pan-European Picnic in Sopron on the Austro-Hungarian border paved the way for over 10 000 East German refugees to cross the border into Austria. The Baltic Chain united citizens in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, while demonstrations in Leipzig brought together 70 000 people calling for change.
Civil society played a key role in driving this peaceful revolution, leading to the reunification of Germany and of Europe. We have a lot to thank these courageous citizens on both sides of the Iron Curtain for, who stood up for freedom and peace on our continent.