November 9, 1989. The day the Berlin Wall came tumbling down.

For many people our generation, wherever they were, a joyful party was celebrated last night.

Many people might ask what a wall lying thousands of miles away has to do with us.

I could only quote what Germany's Iron Lady Angela Merkel said: That was a day of joy!

Indeed, that night, people climbed on the Wall and danced. They trampled with all their might a cold and tall concrete wall, claming victory arm-in-arm, as thunderous applause heralded friendship and hope.

That night, the polarised world under the Cold War was melted. Democracy and freedom that people had been longing for descended like a miracle.

Even as we were not Germans, we could still feel that the world was indeed changed in that very moment, and would never be the same again.

Through satellite TV, we saw the change, and billions of TV audiences took part in the party with full enthusiasm.

That was a kind of spiritual participation, a collective memory. In this Global Village, we rejoice together, we aspire and get emotionally moved together.

We should count our blessing to have been able to witness an event that shook the world.

Of course, in the two decades that followed, the overall developments might not meet the anticipation of most people, and certain quarters might not have enjoyed the benefits of such developments.

In their stead, there have been grumblings and frustrations.

Thanks to the economic inequilibrium that came with capitalism, East Germans found themselves hard to be assimilated into the new society, while their cousins in the West paid a hefty price for it.

History has always been this peculiar. Moreover, no single system or value can ever satisfy the expectations and needs of all people.

Whatever it is, I still believe it was truly a moment of joy and greatness, when the yoke that was put around the human body was lifted, and ideals and free spirits liberated.

Loud and clear as the slogans of democracy might sound, its success and excellence needs to be proven politically.

This is a test that follows the advent of liberty and democracy, one that the human race must overcome.

After the Wall came down, humanity can rejoice together, but chances of rejoicing together are getting fewer.

Perhaps, the next thing we can do is tear down that invisible wall which divides rich nations from the poor.

Of course, there are still all kinds of visible and invisible walls back here in Malaysia that are awaiting us to tear down. (By TAY TIAN YAN/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)