The world is watching the 2017 German elections as the decisions made in Berlin are getting more and more attention from the rest of Europe and the world. But for many international observers, the issues driving the elections are unclear. In the run-up to the elections in September, DW is providing clear and comprehensive coverage of the election online and on DW’s global TV channels under the banner #GermanyDecides.

Combining the reach of television with the interaction of social media, DW lets the audience dive into the debate and open up complicated issues for discussion. These are important social issues that are influencing voters like refugees and immigration and the rise of terror in Europe. And the big question is if Angela Merkel will remain Chancellor of Germany.

On Germany Decides – Meet the candidates, DW editor-in-chief Ines Pohl and talk show host Jaafar Abdul Karim will interview the seven top candidates from Germany’s main parliamentary parties: the CDU, CSU, SPD, Die Grünen, Die Linke, FDP and AfD.

For the first edition, Sahra Wagenknecht came on the show. Co-leader and candidate from the largest opposition party in the Bundestag, Die Linke, Wagenknecht often provides alternative and outspoken viewpoints on important political issues.

Another special series, #GermanyDecides: On the road to the elections sends DW reporters Nina Haase and Sumi Somaskanda are travelling each week to six German cities to find out what matters most to Germans ahead of the elections in September.

Visiting Dresden, the Bavarian town of Wegscheid, Stuttgart, Cologne, Bremen and Berlin, at each stop they will ask people about big issues important to the region. In Bavaria the focus is on the migration crisis, in Dresden it is right-wing extremism, in Cologne they will ask about migration. By asking the people what matters they will put their finger on the pulse of the electorate.

The first edition of Germany Decides -Meet the candidates will appear on DW June 30 at 6:30 p.m. UTC and is being broadcast in English, German, Spanish and Arabic.

Follow DW’s 2017 German election coverage on Twitter at #GermanyDecides .

People are at the heart of every great story and a new social media campaign from DW, #whereicomefrom, is focusing on the people who make DW unique. Coming from all over the world, each presenter and anchor at DW has been shaped by where they come from and this shapes the work they do at DW.

Months of research and interviews went into compiling each story for #whereicomefrom and in the three weeks since the project was launched, the 12 profiles have already been viewed over 1 million times on Facebook. The stories are as unique as the presenters themselves and touch upon historical events, cultural nuances and personal hardship.

But what all of the faces of DW have in common is the desire to use their experience and background to expand their audiences’ horizons and help them understand the world. And it is this common spirit that brought them to DW.

Lead news anchor Brent Goff came from America to Germany and was inspired by the international atmosphere in Berlin to forge a career in global news. Russian journalist Zhanna Nemstova came to Germany after her father was assassinated in Moscow.

These are only a few of the personalities highlighted by Where I come from and there are also many more people who may be coming next.

Middle East

DW’s talk show for youth in the Arab world, Shababtalk, has been honored as the best Arabic talk show by the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU). It is the third year in a row that Shababtalk has earned this distinction. The ASBU decision was especially motivated by a Shababtalk edition that focused on the role of Arab youth six years after the Arab Spring.

A report produced by DW in Baghdad with the support of Iraqi partner Al Rasheed TV also won a gold award from the ASBU. The emotional report was produced as part of Shababtalk’s tour of the Arab world last year and profiled a developmentally disabled Iraqi girl . Shababtalk is expected to go on tour to six locations in the Arab world in 2017.

Europe

Leading Lithuanian broadcaster INIT TV is providing 500,000 households around the country with the popular DW shows Focus on Europe and Europe in Concert. Focus in Europe will be broadcast with a Lithuanian voice over and Europe in Concert is also being shown on INIT’s music channel, PLAY TV.

North America

The 2017 DW Freedom of Speech award will be given to the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA). The DW Freedom of Speech Award honors a person or initiative that provides an outstanding example for freedom of expression and human rights. DW said the WHCA had established a new benchmark in holding US leadership accountable.

With the award DW recognizes the important work of ensuring clarity and transparency from an increasingly uncooperative US presidential administration and amid accusations of “fake news” and attacks on journalistic integrity. WHCA President Jeff Mason will receive the award at the Global Media Forum on June 19.

At MIPTV 2017 in Cannes, storytelling is taking center stage. At the core is content that connects with audiences using timeless elements that draw audiences in and capture their interest and imagination.

DW Transtel is sharing the best in factual entertainment covering a variety of topics. For example, Railway Stories shares a tradition of travel and adventure and looks at the meaning of place in connection with legendary railways around the world. In six videos it invites anyone with wanderlust to get lost for a few hours and immerse themselves in a journey.

Coming from a more serious angle, Migration Millennium examines how migration is changing the world with stories that uncover ugly truths and bitter challenges faced by migrants struggling to improve their lives. By using storytelling to personalize a broad issue, the series can shed a unique light on the issue.

Everyone should look for these highlights and more from DW Transtel, on display at this year’s MIPTV, which is the world’s premiere global entertainment event.

Storytelling with video delivers an intimate look at the people and places that make up the bigger picture of important issues. DW’s new YouTube channel, DW Documentary, brings together some of DW’s best documentaries on an online, on-demand format.

Riveting documentaries like Maidan Calling, which tells the story of young people in Kiev who are developing a creative scene fueled by rave music and fashion, present an alternative perspective on major international news issues. Another highlight is #MyEscape, a collection of riveting first person accounts recorded by refugees on smartphones from Afghanistan to Libya. As they made their way to Germany, they took short videos and all the clips put together provide a highly personal and unique portrayal.

Online video is quickly becoming the preferred source for documentaries, and will soon surpass linear television. Users can choose their favorite genres, discover something new on feeds and share their opinions.

With a wide-selection of documentaries covering politics, economics, business, social issues, science and culture along with short documentaries and segments, DW Documentary covers the entire spectrum of important global issues.