9 November 1989 marks a watershed in history, not only for Europe and the West, but for the whole world. 
As well as being the historical premise for German reunification, the fall of the Berlin Wall also marked the demise of Soviet communism and, with it, that of the totalitarian regimes that had dominated 20th century Europe. These regimes trampled upon the values and fundamental rights that have become a common heritage of western democracies and that, often today, we mistakenly tend to take for granted.
Our democracies were able to become so strong and solid precisely because those totalitarian regimes came to an end, and thanks to the sacrifice of all those people who struggled and fought, allowing us to live in a free world.
It is thanks to the example of young people such as Jan Palach, who gave their lives for the freedom of their people, that today Europe no longer lives under the yoke of dictatorship. It is thanks to the spiritual, political and diplomatic work of a saint and statesman like John Paul II, who said that Europe had to breathe with two lungs, the western and the eastern one. It is thanks to the crowd who forced the border guards of the German Democratic Republic to open the access points to the West, dancing on the ruins of the Wall in celebration just a few minutes later, that we were able to once again embrace tens of millions of our brothers in the common European ideal. With Law no. 61 of 15 April 2005, the Italian Republic declared 9 November ‘Freedom Day’ for the very purpose of remembering the events of 1989, marking the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbol of the liberation of oppressed nations and hope for democracy among populations still oppressed by totalitarianism.
Freedom is the most important value on which our democracy is based, an ‘antibody’ against any totalitarian temptation. In celebrating freedom, the law condemns not only past regimes but also the risk of new forms of repression arising. 
The fight of the Ukrainian people is a fight for freedom, to defend their nation against a brutal aggression, just as respect for the freedom of all people is the foundation of international peace.  
Freedom is a founding value of our Italian, European and western identity, that not only we must not forget, but is also our role and duty to celebrate every day, starting with the anniversary of 9 November.
This is the spirit with which the law that established ‘Freedom Day’ provides for the organisation of commemorative ceremonies and talks in schools, to illustrate the value of democracy and freedom, highlighting the harmful effects of totalitarian regimes, past and present. 
A great Italian liberal philosopher, Benedetto Croce, who died seventy years ago almost to the day and dedicated his life to the love and study of freedom, said: “Some question the future of the ideal of freedom. Our response is that this has more than a future: it is eternal”.
Celebrating the value of freedom is not only about cultivating the historical memory of those who died for it, but also about working hard every day so it may remain eternal. 

[Courtesy translation]