Education as a resource in the age of globalization

Media professionals and education experts from around the world are meeting in Bonn from 25 to 27 June to discuss the relationship between education and the media. Some 1800 participants are attending the fifth Global Media Forum. The three-day conference, which is entitled “Culture. Education. Media – Shaping a Sustainable World” is being supported by the Federal Foreign Office.

Numerous workshops, panel discussions and plenary sessions will address various aspects of the interrelationship between education and the media. These range from the significance for education of Web 2.0 applications to dealing with censorship to the role of the media in conflicts.

Westerwelle at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum
© dpa / picture alliance

Westerwelle at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum

Westerwelle at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum

© dpa / picture alliance

In his speech at the Forum, Foreign Minister Westerwelle drew attention to the role of education in the age of globalization, referring to it as the “key resource of globalization”. These days, our raw materials are no longer deep in the ground, but “between our ears”, Westerwelle said. They are creativity and knowledge – both of which result from education. Globalization of values – including, for example, the freedom of speech and expression – has long since become an important issue. That is why German foreign policy is values-oriented.

“We want to help political and social change take root in states and civil societies. We actively support the processes of opening and democratization,” Westerwelle emphasized. He went on to say that Germany’s cultural relations and education policy is a central element of its values-oriented foreign policy. As part of this policy, Germany also supports media projects and further training for journalists in countries that are developing and in transition.

Round-table discussions and blogger awards

Director Tom Tykwer spoke about his experiences with such projects during a discussion that focussed on new-media-related challenges in connection with training journalists. Tykwer conducts training projects for African film-makers, in cooperation with the Deutsche Welle Academy. According to Tykwer, technology is not the primary concern, even in the age of Web 2.0. He emphasized that content must remain the top priority. Other participants agreed, saying that although Web 2.0 holds great opportunities, journalists require fundamental skills and education to produce good new media content.

A highlight of the Global Media Forum was the presentation of the BOBs – which are awarded to the best blogs in six different categories. The top prize went to the Iranian journalist and blogger Arash Sigarchi for his “Window of Anguish” blog, in which he reports in Farsi and in English on social and political issues in his home country of Iran – with a special focus on the human rights situation. Other BOBs were awarded to a Syrian blogger for her Internet campaign in support of freeing detained activists, and to a website that focuses on the issue of sexual harassment in Egypt.

Listen to Foreign Minister Westerwelle's speech on the Deutsche Welle website

Last updated 26.06.2012