Celebrating "Colmena": Online launch event

DW Akademie, together with its Mexican partner organization REDES A.C., launched "Colmena" – an open-source solution for local and community media – on April 28 in Berlin.

Event: "Celebrating Colmena – Crisis-proof reporting for local media with a new open source software"

Together with our international experts, journalists and community reporters, we discussed the role local media play in times of crisis, access to information and digital rights especially for rural populations, as well as how a digital solution like Colmena can be a game changer in keeping communities informed.

Missed the event? Watch it here:

The launch event took place at the open space of Alex Berlin, a community broadcaster situated in the heart of Berlin.

The panelists 

Michelle Nogales, Bolivia – CEO and co-founder of Muy Waso, the first feminist digital magazine of culture and entertainment 

Gladys Kinyua, Kenya – journalist and presenter at community radio station Radio Amani, Nakuru County 

Natascha Schwanke, Germany – Director of Media Development, DW Akademie 

Geraldine de Bastion, Germany – Founder of Global Innovation Gathering (GIG) and digital rights activist

Moderation: Mirjam Gehrke, Germany – DW journalist

The Colmena project is part of the global initiative “Transparency and media freedom – Crisis resilience in the pandemic”, launched by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and DW Akademie. The open source software Colmena is a co-creation with local and community media from Latin America and Africa. Learn more about it here.