The Right to Know Day – 28 September
The Access to Information Programme (AIP) has been working for 22 years for free access to government held information in Bulgaria and the Right to Know Day is the climax in the national campaign for encouraging the exercise of the right to information and pushing for enhanced government transparency and accountability.
The Right to Know Day was established in 2002 at an international conference in Sofia, Bulgaria and since then celebrated by thousands of Freedom of Information Advocates around the globe.
Due to its impact, 28 September was recently recognized by the UNESCO as the International Day for the Universal Access to Information.
Being one of the founders of the Right to Know Day, for 16 years the AIP holds the Awards Ceremony in Bulgaria.
The Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony in Bulgaria
At the Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony held on Sept. 28, the AIP gives the “Golden Key” awards to citizens, journalists, and NGOs, who have actively exercised their right of access to information and public bodies with excellent transparency practices. Institutions with bad transparency practices receive the “Padlock” and the “Tied Key” anti-awards.
The event has gained very high legitimacy. The Golden Key award has become a symbol of freedom of information, transparency and accountability. The annual media outreach is of dozens publications, radio and TV shows, spreading the news on unique access to information success stories.
The Right to Know Day has thus turned as the strongest tool in the AIP campaign for encouraging the exercise of the right to information and pushing for enhanced government transparency and accountability.
Why is Free Access to Government Information and the Right to Know so important:
- It is a human right!
- Provides for Government transparency by casting light on its work;
- Is necessary for informed public participation in decision and policy making;
- Helps exercise control over Government and keep them open and accountable;
- Empowers citizens to exercise other rights – like freedom of expression, the right to education, the right to health, the right to clean environment, etc.
The Right to Know in Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, the active, consistent and persistent exercise of the right to information, and the support provided by the AIP resulted in:
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Proactive publication of information essential for effective public participation in decision and policy making of public bodies;
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Disclosure of documents related to public funds expenditure, city planning and roads infrastructure; the health and safety of citizens; environmental protection; activities of public law organizations like hospitals, universities, and schools;
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Free online access to the Trade Companies Register, the State Gazette; the Registers of Assets of High Ranking Officials; Public Procurements; Conflict of Interests Declarations; and decades of others;
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Online access to government contracts and related documents.
Help the Access to Information Programme reach the goal of $ 5,000 to organize and hold the 16th Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony in Bulgaria on September 28.
Everyone can contribute with a minimum of $5 or higher. Every contribution matters!
We need your support to:
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Run the Right to Know Day nominations campaign – dozens of nominations are collected in six categories, each being a unique story how the right to information is exercised in public good. All cases are available at: http://www.righttoknowday.net/nominations/2018/.
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Make the Golden Key, Padlock, and Tied Key Awards - the Golden Key has become a legitimate symbol of freedom of information, creating a competition for its win.
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Organize and hold the 16th Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony – the event is a celebration of dozens of advocates for freedom of information, exchange of ideas, outline strategies.
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Run the media and public campaign – the nominations, the Awards Ceremony on 28 Sept, the awardees are accompanied by intensive public campaign and attract immense media coverage providing for the visibility and impact of the Right to Know Day Campaign in Bulgaria.
The Access to Information Programme Foundation
The Access to Information Programme is a Bulgarian nonprofit organization established in 1996. Our mission is to assist the exercise of the right to information. We are doing it by:
- Monitoring and advocating for better Access to Information legislation;
- Monitoring access to information practices;
- Performing special surveys on access to information implementation practices and government transparency;
- Maintaining a network of journalists in 27 regions in Bulgaria;
- Preparing annual reports on the state of access to information;
- Providing legal aid and representation in court on access to information cases;
- Running campaigns to raise awareness on the right to information;
- Holding FOI trainings for civil servants, journalists, and nongovernmental organizations;
- Holding the Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony in Bulgaria on September 28;
- Active participation in national and international networks advocating for freedom of information.
In its 22 years of work, the AIP has cooperated and contributed to freedom of information campaigns in a number of countries in Europe, Africa, South and North America, Asia.