Here is a great post from Frank Smyth, who moderated a few of the panels at last week’s DW Global Media Forum. More than 1,600 participants showed up to exchange their ideas on human rights and the media.

Another good bunch of articles covering the event can be found on the orangelog – a European Youth Press project.

Or check out the wrap-up from WSSCC discussion on water as a human right.

Tunisian blogger Lina Ben Mhenni was presented with the award for this years best blog. The 28-year-old professor at the University of Tunis has been writing about social and political events in her country in a blog called “A Tunisian Girl” for several years. She writes in French, English and Arabic.  “When I saw how people were being killed it became clear there was no going back,” said Ben Mhenni. “I had to ensure that the voices of these people and their families be heard so that they hadn’t died in vain.”

Find out more about the ceremony and the award winners in the official press release or on The BOBs website.

The opening ceremony featured DW Director General Erik Bettermann, as well as Jürgen Nimptsch, Mayor of Bonn and Angelica Schwall-Düren, Minister for Federal affairs, Europe and the Media, State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The keynotes will be held by Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe,  Morten Kjaerum, Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

You can check out today’s conference program here.

Read the official press release here or watch videos from the conference.

DW wants to help create a platform for dialogue about human rights and globalization with new programming and content in 30 languages. This multimedia project, Human Rights 2011, is a reflection of the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum, which is taking place from June 20-22, 2011 in Bonn. The conference’s topic this year is “Human Rights and Globalization – Challnges for the Media”.

The multimedia project on human rights 2011 will examine modern basic needs like the right to work, food and housing. Unique reports and features shed light on individual stories from around the world – whether that be rising prices and famine in Senegal, drug-dealing gangs in Colombia and dangerous jobs in India.

Special insights are provided from human rights experts like Monika Lüke, the Secretary General from Amnesty International in Germany and John Rugie, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises.

Find out more about Human Rights 2011.

Or check out the line-up for this year’s Global Media Forum.

As part of thie year's Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum, DW has organized a photo competition in association with Amnesty International. Internet users and fans now have the opportunity to vote for their favorites and select the 30 finalists – which will be shown at the Global Media Forum in Bonn from June 20-22.

"Klick! – Your View of Human Rights and Globalization" was open to professional and hobby photographers from around the world.

Go to the Facebook page for the Global Media Forum to vote!