Two DW productions were awarded with gold prizes at the 16^th annual World Media Festival in Hamburg. DW’s youth-oriented documentary format Life Links won a gold award in the “web-based new media” category. Winning a gold medal in the “E-learning and education” category was the DW Global Ideas production, A school for orangutans: learning to survive in the wild.

Life Links impressed jury members with well-produced and intimate personal portrayals of challenges that are similarly faced by young people around the world. The format combines a televised episode with an attractive website that expands on the issues in focus and invites the audience to discuss ideas.

A school for orangutans: learning to survive in the wild is another successful example of the interactive web documentary format. This emerging medium brings together stunning graphics with entertaining interactive features that create an entertaining learning process. This year’s gold-winning web documentary feature was produced in cooperation with the Federal Environment Ministry of Germany.

Namati’s World was featured on Global Ideas – DW’s blog covering the people who work to fight climate change and global warming.

At the 2013 World Media Festival in Hamburg, DW programming won three gold awards in competition with over 600 entries coming from 36 countries. The festival, hosted by intermedia, is an international competition that celebrates modern media. The DW documentary Schumann at Pier 2, an all access musical journey featuring special performances of Schumann’s four symphonies, won first prize in the category Documentaries – Arts. DW’s weekly magazine covering all things online, Shift – Living in the digital age, won gold in the category Documentaries- Magazine Formats. Namati’s World – The dreams and fears of a young coral in the South Pacific is a web documentary that tells the story of a 114-year-old brain coral with captivating underwater footage taken off the coast of the Pacific archipelago nation of Vanuatu. The multimedia production won the gold in Education and E-Learning. DW programming also received five silver awards in a wide range of categories.

DW also picked up two silver awards in the category “Political Documentaries” – one covering the challenges and opportunities that Europe is facing because of the situation in the North Africa, and one covering a center for treatment in Lindau, Germany.

New York Festivals recognize the "World's Best Work" in news, sports, documentary, information and entertainment program as well as in music videos, infomercials, promotion spots, openings and ID's.

Deutsche Welle received a Finalist Certificate in the Human Interest category for its segment entitled "Money for freedom". It also picked up a Bronze World Medal for Best Animation for "Walled In! – The inner German border". The series "Global Ideas" also went away with a Finalist Certificate for Information/Magazine Opener & Titles.

At the World Media Festival in Hamburg, Deutsche Well picked up four awards for its series "Politik Direkt".