UNESCO and partners are planning national and regional celebrations in:
Title: African Media Stakeholders’ Conference on Access to Information
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Online
Description: The Federation of African Journalists in close partnership with African media stakeholders is organizing the African Media Stakeholders’ Conference on Access to Information under the theme “Right to Information in Times of Crisis: Saving Lives, Building Trust and Bringing Hope” on September 28th in Celebration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).The virtual event will bring together over 100 participants drawn from the African Union Member states. Some of the topics to be addressed include access to information and the COVID 19 Crisis in Africa, the gender dimension of access to information in Africa and challenges in Covering COVID 19.
Contact: Pa Louis Thomasi, Federation of African Journalists
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Online
Description: The UNESCO Information For All Programme (IFAP) Working Group on Information Accessibility (WGIA), is hosting an online one-day conference on 28 September 2020. This event is hosted in collaboration with the Kule Institute for Advanced Studies (KIAS) at the University of Alberta, Canada, and the International Centre for Information Ethics (ICIE). It is organised under the auspices of the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean, Kingston, Jamaica and the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa, Harare, Zimbabwe. The theme of the conference will be Inclusive AI with topics addressing information accessibility. The conference is being organised to commemorate the International Day for Universal Access to Information 2020 under the global theme, “Saving Lives, Building Trust, Bringing Hope”. Read more
Contact: Cordel Green
Title: ITU-UNESCO Regional Digital Inclusion Week: "Serving the Underserved: No One Left Behind"
Dates: 25-30 October
Place: Hybrid
Description: The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will be organizing the annual ITU-UNESCO Regional Digital Inclusion Week for the Arab States during the period 25 to 30 October 2020 under the theme “Serving the underserved in times of crisis: No one left behind”. The Inclusion week will address digital technology in marginalised communities, while examining the technical and economic challenges as they relate to digital inclusion.
Contact: Paul Hector
Title: High-level dialogue on Access to Information: Saving Lives, building trust, bringing hope!
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Sofitel Hotel Phnom Penh and livestream (UNESCO Cambodia Facebook, CamboJA Facebook, Ministry of Information of the Royal Kingdom of Cambodia Facebook, Embassy of Sweden in Cambodia Facebook)
Description: The commemoration of IDUAI is significant in Cambodia, as the Ministry of Information, in consultation with UN agencies, civil-society organizations, and media stakeholders, is in process of adopting the Access to Information Law by the end of 2020. In Cambodia, the celebration of IDUAI 2020 will serve as an ample opportunity to promote the public right to have access to information by showing the unique value of the right to information in times of crisis. In collaboration with the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Health, journalists, organizations of people with disabilities, and human rights organizations, UNESCO organizes a High-Level Dialogue to commemorate the day which aims to reflect on the right to access information during the pandemic and highlight the impact of proactive sharing of information on health, as well as of inclusive and gender-sensitive initiatives, focusing on vulnerable groups, for prosperity and sustainable development, aligned with Cambodia’s SDGs.
Contact: Mikel Aguirre Idiaquez, Media Development Expert at UNESCO Phnom Penh Office
Title: Access to Information - Saving Lives, Building Trust, Bringing Hope!
Dates: 2 October 2020
Place: Praia , Cape Verde
Description: The UNESCO NATCOM of Cabo Verde is organizing a forum targeting representatives of public institutions; members of the board of directors of the media; representatives of the legislative and judicial authorities to exchange on the importance of policy and law on access to information in Cabo Verde. Experts will discuss on access to information and SDGs, as well as approaches to guarantee right to information in Cape Verde.
Contact: NATCOM Cabo Verde
Title: Information as a public good: uses and strategies for a sustainable digital culture
Dates: 29 September, (11:00 STG)
Place: Online from Santiago, Chile
Description: The webinar will commemorate the International Day for Universal Access to Information and explore its implications for different fields and disciplines of knowledge, highlighting data use strategies from an interdisciplinary perspective from cultural spaces, communications, citizen science and scientific policy in Chile.
Contact: Nicolás del Valle Orellana
Title: Round Table - "Access to information for indigenous peoples in times of crisis"
Dates: 1 October (09:00-11:30 CR)
Place: Online from San Jose
Description: The purpose of this event is to analyze the challenges related to improving access to information for indigenous peoples, including the use of their own languages, and to generate recommendations to address these challenges.
Contact: Jamion Knight
Title: Access to scientific information and the Response to COVID-19 in Cuba
Dates: 1 October (14:00 – 16:00 Cuba)
Place: Online from Havana, Cuba
Description: The panel will explore the contribution of open access to scientific information in the Cuban health system's response to COVID-19.
Contact: Elena Napoles Rodrigues
Title: A Forum on the Challenges of Access to Information Under the COVID-19 Pandemic
Dates: 26 September 2020
Place: Kinshasa, Pullman Hôtel
Description: To celebrate the 2020 International Day for Universal Access to Information and its themes in DR Congo, UNESCO, with the financial support of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of the Republic of Germany, is organizing a forum to discuss access to information in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The forum will discuss between parliamentarians, researchers, media professionals and civil society how to promote the creation of spaces for exchange and sharing of information intended for the public and how to stimulate the interest of the Congolese on access to information to slow the spread of the pandemic in the country. The forum will also support the ongoing advocacy process in favor of the adoption the law on access to public information in DR Congo validated in 2016 by the Senate of the DRC.
Contact: Joseph Poto Poto
Title: Access to information in times of COVID-19. Good practices and challenges in the Dominican Republic
Dates: 1 October (19:00-21:00)
Place: Online from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Description: The panel will facilitate analysis of the main trends in journalistic coverage of COVID-19 in the Dominican Republic. Participants will identify the main gaps in access to information and offer possible solutions to access challenges.
Contact: Elena Napoles Rodrigues
Title: Progress in the measurement of indicator 16.10.2 in Latin America and incidence of COVID-19 in access to information
Dates: 29 September (10:00 – 11:30 ECU)
Place: Online from Quito
Description: The discussion is aimed at establishing a dialogue on the progress of the indicator (16.10.2 ) in America Latina (Southern Voices Platform – Plataforma Voces del Sur), as well as links with UNESCO's technical advances on this indicator and possible intersections with the situation of access to information in the context of COVID-19.
Contact: Indira Salazar Martinez
Title: Access to information in times of crisis
Dates: 28-30 September 2020
Place: Banjul, Gambia
Description: The event will provide support to radio stations to produce content that sensitizes the public on the importance of seeking and accessing reliable information in times of crisis, such as that caused by COVID-19 pandemic. The event will be held as an interactive talk show, with officials and representatives of the Broadcasters Association of The Gambia, relayed by ten radio stations: City Limits, Choice FM, KORA FM, Hilltop, SEN FM, Paradise FM, Star FM, Brikama Community radio, Soma Community radio, and Bansang Community radio.
Contact: Broadcasters Association of The Gambia, UNESCO NATCOM
Title: Access to information on the Covid-19 Context in Guatemala
Dates: 28 September (10:00 GUA)
Place: Online from Guatemala City
Description: The discussion will allow us to explore how in the pandemic the issue of access to information has been handled in Guatemala and what are the challenges that we still have to overcome.
Contact: Montserrat Vidal
Title: How to access information in a context of withholding information
Dates: 29 September (10:00 EST)
Place: Online from Port-au-Prince
Description: Haiti is one of the countries where access to information is very difficult. There is not yet an access to information law. On this occasion, UNESCO proposes to organize a debate on the need for open access to information, a requirement that has been confirmed with the COVID-19 pandemic where access to reliable information has was fundamental.
Contact: Elena Napoles Rodrigues
Title: Challenges and Strategy for Access to Public Information and Adaptation to the “New Normal”
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Online
Description: A webinar discussion in conjunction with the International Day for the Universal Access to Information and in cooperation with the Indonesian Information Commission. The speakers included the Vice-President of Indonesia, Ma’ruf Amin, Juri Adriantoro (Office of the President in the Area of Information and Communication), Ming-Kuok LIM (ACI, UNESCO Jakarta), Gede Narayana (Head of Information Commission of Indonesia), and Freedom of Information Network Indonesia (FoINI)
Contact: Ms. Tya Tirta Sari, Indonesian Information Commission
Title: The Role of Journalists in Supporting Access to Information for Women during COVID-19
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place:
Description: A webinar that is part of the project with the NGO Indonesian Association for Media Development, to build capacity of women journalists on access to information leading up to the International Day for the Universal Access to Information. The webinar included women journalists from community media located outside metropolitan areas in Indonesia. Speakers included commissioner from Indonesian Information Commission and UNESCO Jakarta.
Contact: Ms. Eni Mulia
Title: Online Meeting on Access to Information and Pandemic Response
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Online from Almaty, Kazakhstan
Description: The UNESCO Almaty Office will organize an online meeting on access to information and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic for the ministries of information, ombudspersons’ offices and SDG agencies in Central Asia on 28 September 2020.
Contact: Sergey Karpov, NPO, UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
Title: Celebration of IDUAI 2020 - Access to Information: Saving Lives, Building Trust, Bringing Hope
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Online
Description: UNESCO will be celebrating the IDUAI in partnership with May Chidiac Foundation through an online webinar having 3 main sessions; a) Access to Information Law and Anti-Corruption in Lebanon, b) Access to Information: The investigative tool for Journalists, and c) Access to Information in times of crisis. Read more
Contact: George Awad
Title: Promoting internet and human rights: Challenges in Establishing Multistakeholder Collaborations
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Online from Port-au-Prince
Description: A webinar in cooperation with the Centre for Independent Journalism of Malaysia during the Asia Pacific Region Internet Governance Forum (ARfIGF). The webinar which took place on the International Day for Universal Access to Information discussed the challenging climate of political transitions and pandemic, new obstacles and circumstances have emerged. How do we continue to evolve our approach and re-envision multi-stakeholder engagement in promoting internet and human rights?
Contact: Ms. Wathshlah Naidu, CIJ Malaysia
Title:Access to information and development of decentralized territorial entities
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Timbuktu , Mali
Description: The event consists of exchanges with local authorities on the importance of access to information and its impact on transparent management and sustainable development of decentralized territorial entities.
Contact: Forum pour le Développement Economique et Social de Tombouctou
Title:Access to information as a key tool in times of crisis
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Online from Mexico City
Description: The UNESCO Office in Mexico, in coordination with the National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Personal Data Protection (INAI), will organize a day of activities for the International Day of the Right to Access to Information 2020. Through round tables and dialogues, experts will emphasize the challenges and advances to guarantee access to information in times of crisis and, in particular, for the most vulnerable groups such as indigenous peoples or persons with disabilities. Additionally, the Spanish version of UNESCO’s publication “Access to information: a promise for sustainable development” will be launched during the celebrations. The dialogue “Access to information: saving lives, building trust, bringing hope”, on 28 September at 10:00 am, will mark the beginning of UNESCO's activities in the Latin American and Caribbean Region. Read more
Contact: Gabriela Velázquez
Title: Celebrations of International Day for Universal Access to Information
Dates: 28th September 2020
Place: National Commission for Colleges of Education Main Hall, Abuja
Description: UNESCO Regional Office is collaborating with the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO, Nigeria Chapter of Information for All Programme (IFAP), Federal Ministry of Information, Nigerian Union of Journalists and other relevant stakeholders to organise a one-day workshop in Abuja under the theme: Access to Information in Times of Crisis – Saving Lives, Building Trusts, Bringing Hope. The workshop aims to:
- enlighten the public on the impact of proactive disclosure on decision-making in times of crisis;
- highlight how constitutional or legal guarantees for public access to information can save lives, build trust and help shape sustainable policies;
- expose participants to the inherent dangers of spreading fake news in the bid to share information; and acquaint participants with the new trends of spotting, identifying and countering fake news in order to prevent further psychological harm to citizens.
Contact: Macaulay Olushola; Secretary General, Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO
Title: Online and at OsloMet's auditorium Athene 1 and 2 in P 46 (Pilestredet 46)
Dates: 1 October 2020
Place: Online
Description: Access to information is one of the three main priorities in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' freedom of expression strategy, as well as an important constituent of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Journalism and Media International Center at OsloMet will hold a seminar on the crucial role that access to information laws and practices play in mitigating disinformation and misinformation, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The seminar will be held on 1 October at OsloMet. Read more
Contact: Oona Solberg
Title: Launch of the Online Appeal Management Information System of Pakistan’s Information Commission
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Islamabad, Pakistan
Description: The new Online Appeal Management information system (AMIS) of Pakistan’s Information Commission, along with a new website, will be launched on the occasion of the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) on September 28, 2020. The launch event will be organized in collaboration with the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC), the EU delegation in Pakistan, the Embassy of Sweden, the Embassy of The Netherlands, and the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO). The initiative will aim to support citizens’ fundamental right of access to information through robust e-governance systems, which directly contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. A panel discussion on “Access to Information and local solutions” will also be held during the event.
Contact:
Title: Progress, achievements and pending challenges regarding Transparency and Access to Information
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Online
Description: In the framework of the International Day of Universal Access to Information, UNESCO Perú is doing a conversatory about the progress, achievements and pending challenges regarding Transparency and Access to Information in Perú. Dra. Ana Neyra Zegarra, Minister of Justice and Human Rights in Perú, and Mr. Ernesto Fernández Polcuch, the Head of UNESCO in Perú, will open this conversatory. The event will have these participants: Dr. Felipe Johan León Florián, Presidente del Tribunal de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información Pública de Perú, Dr. Eduardo Luna Cervantes, Director de la Dirección General de Transparencia, Acceso a la Información y Protección de Datos Personales, Dra. Caroline Gibu, Directora Ejecutiva de Ciudadanos al Día and a member of Red de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información-RTA. Read more
Contact: Belen Quintana
Title: Advancing the Right to Information Bill in Senegal
Dates: 6 October 2020
Place: Dakar, Senegal
Description: The celebration of the IDUAI in Senegal will take the form of a forum organized by the departments in charge of good governance and communication to exchange on the progress made on the Access to Information Bill. The targets of the forum are high-ranking officials of public administration from all the ministries. The other objective of the forum is to promote common understanding of the importance and implication of access to information.
Contact: Direction de la communication
Title: Open GLAM webinar series: Universal Access to Documentary Heritage in Asia and the Pacific
Dates: 25 September - 16 October 2020
Place: Online from Bangkok, Thailand
Description: Within the framework of International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) and in collaboration with Creative Commons, Open GLAM and the Memory of the World Regional Committee for Asia-Pacific (MOWCAP), UNESCO Bangkok Regional Office will organize a series of webinars on Open Access to Documentary Heritage in Asia and the Pacific. Read more
Contact: Misako Ito, Programme Specialist, UNESCO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Dates: 28 September 2020
Place: Hybrid
Description: The AFIC advocacy campaign for the 2020 IDUAI Commemoration will be organised around the date of 28th September and they include the following: a) High-level dialogue on the situation of access to information in Africa; b) University students’ moot debate on the role of access to information in ensuring transparency and accountability; c) Hackathon on the Government Procurement Portal (GPP) and disclosure mechanisms; d) Press conference on the state of access to information in Africa; e) Media engagements on accountability and access to information; f) Documentary on the state of access to information in Africa.
Contact: Okande, John Otieno
Title: Access to Scientific Information
Dates: 29 September (5pm – 7pm GMT-03:00 Montevideo)
Place: Online from Montevideo
Description: Within the framework of the international Day for Universal Access to Information, it is important to reflect on access to scientific information. This raises at least two types of barriers: the first, material, in the sense of being able to access databases, publications and other products derived from scientific activity; part of the discussion on Open Science that UNESCO has been promoting addresses these issues. The second refers to the feasibility of interpreting and understanding scientific information; accessing the data does not mean being able to understand and use it. In other words, mediators are needed.It is in this background that we are interested in addressing the aspects of how the link between generators and users of scientific information occurs. What is the role of knowledge moderators and what tools can be established to improve access to scientific information by the general population. Read more
Contact: Guillermo Anllo
Title: The importance of access to information and the protection of documentary heritage in times of crisis
Dates: 30 September (12 :00, ARG/URU) [Regional]
Place: Online from Montevideo
Description: In our world, information has become an essential right; archives and memory institutions play a key role in this matter. In this light, the webinar will discuss the following: - Right of access to information - Objectives and Proposals from UNESCO's Memory of the World Program - Strategies of the institutions in times of Crisis Read more
Contact: Lidia Arthur Brito
Title: Challenges and advances in Access to Public Information in Justice
Dates: 30 September (14 :00 ARG/URU/CH/BR) [Regional]
Place: Online from Montevideo
Description: The newly established International Open Justice Network (RIJA) will organize a one-and-a-half hour webinar in which speakers will discuss the challenges of implementing transparency and access to information laws in the judiciary. They will also comment on the progress of the matter in the region. Read more
Contact: Lidia Arthur Brito
Title: Today's World Facing the Desinfodemic: "Access to Information, Freedom of Expression, Fake News, Journalism and the 2030 Agenda
Dates: 1 October (11:00-13:00 PYT, 12:00 – 14:00 UYU/ARG) [Regional]
Place: Online
Description: The webinar will analyze the impact of the "disinfodemic" in the context of the global health emergency as a consequence of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. Participants will debate on the measures adopted by the states, judicial systems and other sectors, in this context, on human rights, the media, freedom of expression, access to public Information and journalism. All this, within the framework of the current world and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 16) of the 2030 Agenda. Read more
Contact: Lidia Arthur Brito
Title: Media and Information Literacy in Youth: A Cornerstone in the Implementation of Access to Information Policies
Dates: 2 October [Regional]
Place: Online
Description: The main objective of the event will be to discuss and outline an action plan for the participation of young people in the laws and policies of access to information. It will also address in the policies and strategies of the media and information literacy and for the to be included as a tool for education and raising awareness by articulating and implementing policies / laws on access to information from a regional perspective. Read more
Contact: Lidia Arthur Brito