On 28 September we celebrate International Access to Information Day (IAI Day). Libraries play an important role in collecting and preserving information and connecting people with the information they need. State Library of Queensland is committed to improving access to information and knowledge for all Queenslanders.
The theme of IAI Day 2021, Open by design: government transparency everyone can see, promotes the value of proactively releasing information in times of crisis and recovery.
Open by design: government transparency everyone can see. Office of the Information Commissioner.
Recently we have all seen the importance of timely access to accurate and reliable information to keep us informed, help us to stay safe, and to assist us make decisions about matters affecting us.
The proactive release of information builds trust between the government and the community and aids faster recovery.
IAI Day raises awareness of individuals’ rights to access government-held information, and of the responsibility of governments to release information where it is in the public interest to do so. On this international day, individuals and governments from around the world can come together to support this fundamental human right and promote open, democratic societies where citizens are empowered to participate in government.
To mark the occasion of IAI Day, this year’s Solomon Lecture, Solving public problems with data, will be delivered by Professor Beth Simone Noveck, a Professor in the Technology, Culture, and Society department at the New York University Tandon School of Engineering. Professor Noveck served as the first United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer and director of the White House Open Government Initiative under the Obama administration. She was later appointed by UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, as the UK’s senior advisor for Open Government.
The Solomon Lecture will be a virtual event, and can be viewed on the Office of the Information Commissioner’s website from 28 September 2021.
Comments
Your email address will not be published.
We welcome relevant, respectful comments.