IDUAI 2023 - Celebrations around the world

Title: The importance of the online space for access to information

Date of the event: 28 September

Format: Face to Face

Outlines: The South Asian regional celebration will use this opportunity to delve into the judiciary and information commission's paramount role in protecting Universal Access to Information. Furthermore, discussions on internet disruptions and their ramifications on human rights law will also be touched upon.

The UNESCO New Delhi Office will organize an online event that will bring together regional partners, legal, media and information experts, and academics who will share their experiences, and conduct an online discussion relating to protection of universal access to information. The regional celebration will delve into the information commission's paramount role in protecting universal access to information. Furthermore, discussions on internet disruptions and their ramifications on human rights law, and the role of AI on access to information will also be touched upon.

Contact: Ashita Singh

Title: TBC
Date of the event: 28 September 2023
Format: Face to Face 
Description:
Contact: 

Title: Capacity building for the media and public lecture on Media and Information Literacy and disinformation 

Date of the event: 25 – 29 September 

Format: Face to face with streaming of public events 

Description: Celebration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information

Contact: Paul Hector

Title: Awareness raising campaign on Artificial Intelligence and a policy roadmap for the Caribbean on Media and Information Literacy and & Disinformation in the Caribbean 

Date of the event: 25 – 29 September 

Format: Online

Outlines: Celebration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information

Contact: Paul Hector

Title: First Data Governance & Innovation Forum for Africa

Date of the event: 29 and 30 September 2023

Format: Face to Face

Description: 

Contact: Lydia Gachungi

Title: La Journee Internationale sur le droit d'acces a l'information 2023

Date of the event: 

Format: Face to Face

Outlines: Cote d'Ivoire in partnership with CAIDP (Commission d’accès à l’information d’intérêt public). The week will take place in the format of a training and awareness caravan for different audiences in five (5) towns in the south-west of Cote d'Ivoire. The Caidp will provide us with experts who will come to explain to the identified targets, the Ivorian law on access to information as well as the procedure for obtaining reliable information. We will talk about the theme that has been chosen this year, namely: “the importance of the digital space for access to information”.

Title: Universal Access to Information and Open Educational Resources (OER): navigating the Nexus for Inclusive Education
Date of the event: 28 September from 4 to 5:30 p.m. CET
Format: Online
Description: Join us for an OER Dynamic Coalition webinar to celebrate the International Day for Universal Access to Information on Thursday 28 September 2023, from 16:00 to 17:30 CET. The webinar will focus on the connection between access to information and OER, focusing on how this year's IDUAI theme, "the importance of online space for access to information," relates to OER. It aims to identify and address barriers to online access to OER, emphasizing solutions for broader information and knowledge access. 
List of speakers (tentative) 
1. Dr. Cable Green, Director of Open Knowledge, Creative Commons
2. Ms. Niamh Brennan, Programme Manager, Research Informatics, Trinity College Library Dublin    
3. Ms. Cheryl Hodgkinson-Williams, University of Cape Town (Cape Town, South Africa), Former UNESCO Chair in Open Education and Social Justice
Moderator: Ms. Zeynep Varoglu, Senior Programme Specialist,  Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO 
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Contact: Ms. Zeynep Varoglu

Title: TBC
Date of the event: 28 September 2023
Format: Face to Face 
Description:
Contact: Yakub, Abdul Hamid

Title: International Day for Universal Access to Information
Date of the event: 26 September
Format: Face to face
Description: UNESCO Guatemala together with the Presidential Commission against Corruption are organizing an event to commemorate the International Day of Universal Access to Information (IDUAI)  2023.  On this occasion, the event will be held on September 26, with the participation of all access to information units,  from the central government and access to information units from municipalities throughout the country.  

Title: Artificial Intelligence for Access to Information 

Date of the event: circa 26 – 28 September, 2023 

Format: Online

Outlines: Celebration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information will be marked by a 4th series of annual international conferences organized by the IFAP Information Accessibility Working Group, in cooperation with the UNESCO Offices in Harare and Kingston. The online event provides a forum for open multi-stake-holder dialogue for awareness and reflection on problems and challenges as well as solution-sharing, finding and actions.

Title: Kyrgyz State University launch UNESCO Online Course on Access to Information
Date of the event: early October
Format: Face to Face
Contact: Sergey Karpov

Title: TBC
Date of the event: 26 to 27 October
Format: Face to Face
Contact: George, Awad

Title: National Virtual Round Table: "Information for all! Good practices to exercise our right to information"
Date of the event: September 28 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Mexico City) 
Format: Online
Description: This roundtable will inform the public about different initiatives and projects that civil society organizations in Mexico are promoting so that people can have access to useful and contrasted information. The participants and the proposals to be presented are:

- Paul Aguilar, Digital Security Coordinator at SocialTIC: "Datávoros", a research project on data collection through apps developed by governments and companies. 
- Luis Javier Moreno, Research Director of Política Colectiva: "Ojos Al Gasto", a project with detailed information on the collection and use of public resources in the 32 states and 60 municipalities of Mexico. 
- Oliver Fröhling, Director of SURCO, and Montserrat Garibay, Head of Content Creation of the INDIGITAL project: "Telaraña didáctica" and "Turípoli comunitario", interactive games to access digital rights and public information in indigenous languages, respectively.  

Title: Ensuring quality information in the digital age

Date of the event: 26 September, 2023

Format: Online

Outlines: Forum to counter disinformation

Contact: Lim, Ming

Title: Online Space and Access to Information

Date: 28 September 2023

Format:  Face to Face Seminar 

Outlines: UNESCO is collaborating with Pakistan Information Commission (Federal Information Commission) in hosting the seminar that will discuss the importance of online spaces, proactive disclosure, open data, use of AI in providing information online with specific referance to elections.

Contact: H. Swati

Title: Capacity building on the right to access to information for key stakeholders in Sao Tome and Principe 

Date of the event: 18,19 and 20 October 2023

Format: Face to Face

Description: Over the past ten years, the right to information has been recognized by an increasing number of countries, including developing countries, through the adoption of a series of laws on the subject. By 2022, at least 135 countries have ratified and enacted such laws, making the right to information possible. In Africa, according to the second continental report of Agenda 2063, 27 (twenty-seven) African countries have adopted access to information legislation to promote inclusive and accountable societies in Africa. 

An approach to the operationalization of Agenda 2063 at the continental level led by the African Union tends to encourage African countries to localize this Agenda 2063 by adopting and implementing constitutional, statutory and/or political guarantees for the fundamental rights, a safe and effective way for them to work for peace and prosperity for people and the planet by taking action towards the Sustainable Development Goals. One of the major products of this support from the African Union is the production since 2013 of a Model Law for Africa on Access to Information designed to facilitate the drafting of legal texts on the subject at the state level. 

Central African countries have been committed for several years to adopting specific laws on the right of access to information. But to this date, no country (except Angola) has achieved this for various reasons. 

To increase the number of countries with international standards on access to information, the UNESCO Regional Office for Central Africa is working with States and other development partners to strengthen the capacity of key national stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental, and is supporting the process of drafting laws on access to information. 

In Sao Tomé and Principe, UNESCO will organize, with the support of the RC office of the UN system, a training aiming to build capacity of main actors concerned by the RTI in the country in order to reinforce their role in advocating, drafting, adopting and implementing a RTI law in STP. 

The training will provide participants with knowledge on the assessment of RTI in the world and in Africa, the international laws and standards governing this right, and the main components of national legislation in line with international standards and best practices. 

The three days training will target in its first day officials from key ministries and public bodies, the second day will target journalists from public, private and community medias and the last day will be dedicated to train CSOs representatives working on the field of HR, Transparency, accountability, and women empowerment.

Contact: Najib, Mokni

Title: Realising the Right of Access to Information in Somalia
Date of the event: 28 September (Mogadishu)
Format: Face to face
Description: The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), with the generous support of the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu, is proud to organize a National Forum on Access to Information in Somalia under the theme “Realising the Right of Access to Information in Somalia”. This significant event will convene more than 60 distinguished participants, including government officials, media professionals, representatives from civil society, and international partners. 
The National Forum on Access to Information aims to kickstart a national campaign focused on the crucial enactment of access to information legislation in Somalia. The forum will consist of three distinct panels, each addressing essential facets of this critical endeavor: 
1. Building an Enabling Framework: The Need for Access to Information Legislation in Somalia 
2. Navigating the Digital Era: Balancing Online Spaces and Access to Information in Somalia 
3. Emerging Practices and Innovative Approaches: Enhancing Access to Information and Ensuring Journalists’ Safety in the Absence of Laws

Title: South African Communication Association Conference with specific panels on the Right to Information

Date of the event: 27-29 September

Format: Face to Face

Description: Saccomm conference on two new handbooks for journalism educators, produced by UNESCO. One is on Teaching Journalism Online, and the other about Reporting on Artificial Intelligence

Title: Commemoration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information

Date of the event: 28 September

Format: Face to Face

Outlines: South Sudan will hold a 1-day national conference to commemorate the IDUAI in Juba. Seventy stakeholders from government, security sector, media, academia, and youth, will be targeted. 

The event will aim to remind stakeholders on the importance of promotion of access to information for citizens online and offline. Special attention will be placed on raising awareness on the access to information act, 2013, through radio talk shows that will be held a head of the IDUAI in Juba. 

During the national conference, presentations and panel discussions will be held. The below topics will be discussed. 

· Internet and its impact on access to information and freedom of expression 

· Role of Information Commissions in promoting access to information in the internet age 

· The role of National Communications Authority, Internet Providers and Telecommunication Companies on promoting internet access as a human right and establishment of operational policies 

· Harnessing opportunities of digital governance for an informed and empowered citizens

Title: Tajikistan: Training of Faculties of Journalism

Date of the event: 28 September

Format: Face to Face

Outlines: 

Contact: Sergey, Karpov

Title: Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa 

Date of the event: 27-29 September  

Format: Face to Face

Outlines: Celebration of the International Day for Universal Access to Information in Dar Es Salaam at the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa with 3 UNESCO sessions: 

1) Towards an Internet for Trust: African perspectives on the operationalization of UNESCO’s Guidelines for regulating digital platforms; 

2) UNESCO’s Internet Universality ROAM-X Assessments in Africa, and; 

3) Social Media for Peace in Africa.

Contact: Misako Ito

Title: Digital platforms and civic participation in Thailand 

Date of the event: 9/28/2023

Format: Online (Languages: English and Thai)

Outlines: The commemoration of 28 September as International Day of Universal Access to Information raises awareness in the Mekong countries on emerging Access to Information challenges and opportunities. For 2023, UNESCO will organize a public discussion on “The Importance of the online space for access to information: digital platforms and civic participation in Thailand.” (September 2021-23).

Title: TBC

Date of the event: 28 September 2023

Format: Face to Face 

Description:

Contact: Lim, Ming

Title: Regional Virtual Roundtable: Internet Access and its Impact on the Right of Access to Public Information
Date of the event: 27 September from 12 to 2 p.m. (Uruguay time)
Format: Online  

Description: Through a roundtable discussion organized by the UNESCO Regional Office in Montevideo, the Regional Alliance for Freedom of Expression and Information, along with Article 19 chapters in the region, will explore the connections between the right to access public information and internet access in Latin America and the Caribbean. 
More specifically, this roundtable will examine the role played by oversight bodies for access to public information in relation to internet access as an enabling tool for the right to information. It will delve into cooperation between these bodies and telecommunications regulatory entities, as well as the challenges and opportunities for collaboration with civil society organizations focused on the right to information and the interaction between these organizations and those focused on digital rights.

Register here

Webinar will be in Spanish only.

Title: Artificial Intelligence for Access to Information (AI4IA) 
Date of the event: circa 26 – 28 September, 2023 
Format: Virtual   
Description: Celebration of IDUAI - 4th in a series of annual international conferences organized by the IFAP Information Accessibility Working Group under the auspices of the UNESCO Harare and Kingston Offices. The event provides a forum for open multi-stake-holder dialogue for awareness and reflection on problems and challenges as well as solution-sharing, finding and actions. 

Title: TBC
Date of the event: early October
Format: Face to Face
Contact: Ingrid Tagwireyi

Title: SACCOM 2023

Date of the event: 27-29 September  

Format: Physical 

Description: Saccomm conference on two new handbooks for journalism educators, produced by UNESCO. One is on Teaching  Journalism Online, and the other about Reporting on Artificial Intelligence. https://www.unesco.org/en/international-programme-development-communication/journalism-education/resource-hub

Title: Artificial Intelligence for Information Accessibility (AI4IA)
Date of the event: 28 September
Format: Online
Description: The UNESCO Information for All Program (IFAP) Working Group on Information Accessibility (WGIA) is set to host its 4th Annual Artificial Intelligence for Information Accessibility (AI4AI) Conference bringing together global experts to draw attention to the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI), recognized annually on the 28th of September. The conference provides an opportunity for open discourse involving participants from the general public, academia civil society organizations, the private sector and government on information accessibility and the intersection with artificial intelligence.
This year's event is hosted in collaboration with the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Alberta, Canada, Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), the Centre for New Economic Diplomacy (CNED) in ORF, India and Caribbean Office and the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa.
Register Now – UNESCO 
Contact: IFAP Secretariat