Recounting the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany, Jorn Mothes said at the ceremony that the wall was toppled not as a result of the change in international situations or diplomatic efforts, but because of people's desire for freedom.

He called for people in the world as well as in Taiwan to cherish the achievement of democracy.

"Freedom can be acquired through peaceful means, but it comes with responsibilities as well," he said.

At the ceremony held at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, a piece of the Berlin Wall was erected at the venue of the foundation located on Taipei City's Xinyi Road, Section 3.

Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng, who is chairman of the foundation, presided over the unveiling of the Berlin Wall segment -- a big chunk of the wall standing 3.5 meters tall, 1.2 meters wide and weighing 2.5 tons.

Taiwan is the fourth country to receive a segment of the Berlin Wall from the German county of Oberhavel after the United States, Finland and Poland.

Addressing the ceremony, Wang said democracy, freedom and human rights combined to make a lifestyle of happiness.

"The fall of the Berlin Wall signifies freedom and democracy. We thank Oberhavel County for giving this piece of the Berlin Wall to Taiwan in recognition of Taiwan's seeking freedom and democracy, " he said.

He said the "Berlin Wall in Taiwan" -- a symbol of democracy -- will be a public piece of art open to every member of Taiwanese society.

Meanwhile, Wang said that although the "Berlin Wall across the Taiwan Strait" has fallen apart long ago after Taiwan abandoned its martial law, which restricted Taiwanese people from traveling to China, it is still too early for the two sides to talk about reunification.

"What the two sides across the strait should do now is to build a mutual non-aggression mechanism, " he said, adding that if the two sides could sign a non-aggression pact, the foundation of cross-strait peace and stability will be even more solid.

The Berlin Wall was a concrete barrier that encircled the city of West Berlin. It was erected in 1961 by the then East Germany's communist regime to keep East Germans from fleeing to West Germany.

The collapse of the Berlin Wall came about following weeks of civil unrest that swept across Eastern Europe, forcing the East German government to announce in Nov. 1989 that East Germans were finally free to visit West Germany.

The fall of the wall paved the way for German reunification, which came about a year later.

(By Deborah Kuo)