Chancellor Scholz congratulates DW and thanks for '70 years in which your broadcaster has made a significant contribution to democracy'

"In order for no one to believe that they can control words and thus control reality, we need independent media. We need journalists who work together worldwide for the freedom of the word. Just as Deutsche Welle has been doing for 70 years," said Chancellor Scholz in a congratulatory message.

One of the main topics of the evening was the increasing threat to press freedom in many of DW's target regions and the dangers to which independent press and DW journalists are exposed worldwide.

In many countries, it takes "great courage to be a journalist. For this courage and your commitment, I say to you today: Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart," said Scholz.

DW stands for "values and principles that are under attack worldwide"

DW Director Peter Limbourg referred to the most recent event of interference with press work, the sentencing of DW's Turkish journalist Bülent Mumay. He also recalled DW's principles: "Unbiased information for free minds: that is our essence. We stand for values and principles that are under attack and in jeopardy around the world. With our work, we have been disrupting autocrats for 70 years, causing trouble from time to time. That's why our employees - and often their families - are threatened and at risk in many places."  

For Claudia Roth, Minister of State and Commissioner of Culture and the Media, who was present at the ceremony, DW "not only stands for the free word - it is the free word in the conversation between German democracy and the world. Its broadcasts initiate debates on topics that are taboo in the target regions for political or religious reasons. In view of the growing dangers to freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of information, Deutsche Welle is indispensable."

With regard to the upcoming cost savings at DW, Katrin Budde, Chairwoman of the Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs, said that changes are a given with 70 years of growth. She would like to see a joint path with all those involved - with politics, management and staff representatives.

Norbert Röttgen, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, wishes for DW: "that in Germany and in German politics, the quality of Deutsche Welle as a champion for freedom, for professional, passionate journalism, will be perceived at a time when freedom and freedom of the press are increasingly coming under authoritarian pressure. That DW's profile in Germany and its esteem in parliament continues to grow, so that it gets what it needs to do its work: reliable funding."

In front of numerous guests from politics, culture and the media, DW's director expressed the wish "that despite all our concerns about the future of Europe, we do not lose sight of the rest of the world. That we respect it when things are seen differently in many parts of the world."  But this does not mean that we therefore become arbitrary. Rather, it challenges us to do even more to promote our viewpoints and to communicate them in a convincing way.  In this context, DW is always a voice of freedom." 

Here you can find the official press kit for DW's 70th anniversary celebration.

For 70 years, DW has been telling it as it is. Germany's international broadcaster provides distinctive, dialogue-driven content in 32 languages and is a trusted source for unbiased information. Combining a European perspective with regional insights from its editorial operations around the world, DW has built an award-winning content portfolio that is available worldwide on all platforms -online, social media, television, radio and via its own website dw.com. can be accessed at dw.com and across a wide range of digital, social platforms.