Germans are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, with Chancellor Angela Merkel praising the courageous people who helped bring it down.
The German leader led several events Sunday, including the placing of a rose in one of the few remaining sections of the Wall to commemorate those who died trying to escape to the West.
In a speech at the main memorial site for the Wall, Ms. Merkel said that "the fall of the Wall has shown us that dreams can come true." She called the Wall a "symbol of state abuse cast in concrete" that "took millions of people to the limits of what is tolerable."
The day's ceremonies in the German capital began with a trumpet call, evoking the trumpets the Bible says brought down the walls of Jericho.
Current and former world leaders are marking the occasion with warnings of continued divisions among major powers.
U.S. President Barack Obama issued a statement saying Russia's actions against Ukraine are a reminder that there is "more work to do" for Europe to be "whole, free and at peace."
The Berlin Wall divided the German capital and came to define the Cold War, which pitted the United States and its allies against the Soviet Union following World War Two.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said Saturday that the world is on the brink of "a new Cold War," and that some say it has already begun.
At an event commemorating the Berlin Wall anniversary, Mr. Gorbachev said "bloodshed in Europe and the Middle East against the backdrop of a breakdown in dialogue between major powers is of enormous concern."
德国民众星期天庆祝柏林墙倒塌25周年，总理默克尔赞扬了那些帮助推倒这堵墙的勇敢的人民。
德国领导人主持了星期天的几项纪念活动，其中包括在一处保留的柏林墙段献玫瑰花，纪念在试图逃往西方过程中死去的人。
默克尔在柏林墙主要纪念活动上说，“柏林墙的倒塌向我们显示，梦想能够成真。”她称“柏林墙是“混凝土建造的国家虐待的标志”， “让千百万人忍无可忍。”
德国首都柏林星期天举行的一系列纪念活动以小号开始。根据圣经记载，杰里科的城墙就是在号角声中倒塌的。
现任以及卸任的世界多国领导人参加了纪念活动，并且对大国间的持续纷争提出警告。
美国总统奥巴马发表的声明说，俄罗斯针对乌克兰的行动提醒人们，维持一个统一、自由与和平的欧洲，还需进行更多的努力。
柏林墙曾将德国首都一分为二，成为二战后的冷战标志，冷战的一方是美国及其盟国，另一方是苏联。
前苏联领导人戈尔巴乔夫星期六表示，世界目前正处于爆发“新冷战的边缘”，并说，有人认为新冷战已经开始。
戈尔巴乔夫在一个纪念柏林墙倒塌25周年的活动上说：“大国间对话破裂，欧洲和中东流血不断，形势令人堪忧。”
