The panelist reflect on the Peaceful Revolution of 1989 that eventually led to the Fall of the Berlin and culminated in German unification and the vision of a "new age of democracy, peace, and unity" as drafted by the Charter of Paris one year later. As the cohesive power of this vision has diminished and democratic institutions and practices come under attack on both sides of the Atlantic, the discussion also touches on the challenges that are shaping our world today.

Panel discussion with:

Belinda Cooper, Professor at Columbia University’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights, New York University's Center for Global Affairs, and a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute

David Gill, German Consul General in New York

Stefan Roloff, a German-American artist, who was born in West Berlin

Harf Zimmermann, a German photographer, who was born in Dresden who grew up in East Berlin

Moderator: Steven E. Sokol, President of the American Council on Germany.

The event took place in cooperation with the German Consulate General New York.

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Photos: Rafa Ayoub