Story source : The Carter Center Blog
In celebration of International Right to Know Day on Sept. 28, 2013, The Carter Center and local partners in Liberia hosted a series of activities to raise awareness of the value of freedom of information and to encourage the use and full implementation of the country’s 2010 Freedom of Information Act.
Freedom of information is a fundamental human right. It allows people to more fully participate in public life, have a voice in setting government priorities, fight corruption, and hold governments accountable. It also helps to make governments more efficient and effective.
The week of celebratory events began with the training of newly appointed information officers, including a special session led by Melanie Pustay, director of the Office of Information Policy at the U.S. Department of Justice.
Next, the University of Liberia screened the movie “Erin Brockovich” — a film about an American legal clerk who uncovers critical information which helps her win a case against a company accused of contaminating a local water supply. A panel discussion followed the screening, including Ms. Pustay, Deputy Information Minister Norris Tweah, Information Commissioner Mark Freeman, Former Information Minister Laurence Bropleh, and Green Advocates Director Alfred Brownell.
On Thursday evening, a private reception was held in Monrovia for the opening of Exhibition in the Archives: A Walk through Liberia’s Documented History from Pre-Colonization to Present Day. The exhibit, funded by USAID and Open Society Institute West Africa, is a collaboration between the Center for National Documents and Records Agency and The Carter Center. It aims to highlight the value of freedom of information and records management to preserve history and influence the future. The exhibit gives Liberians, for the first time, the opportunity to view their country’s newly rediscovered, original Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
Events then moved to Buchanan, beginning with a debate among local university students regarding whether freedom of information challenges government. After the debate, government and civil society freedom of information champions played a friendly soccer match with players donning 2013 International Right to Know Day tee-shirts imprinted with the national slogan: “Tell it, show it, let’s know it!” Off the field, the players met to discuss obstacles and potential solutions for advancing the right of access to information in Liberia.
On International Right to Know Day itself, Sept. 28, a marching band led a parade of hundreds through the streets of Buchanan in celebration of Liberia’s right of access to information. The march culminated at the fairgrounds for an indoor program with speakers from government and civil society who celebrated the recent successes and shared challenges and next steps for assuring vibrant freedom of information in Liberia.
The Carter Center; the Liberian Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism; the Independent Information Commissioner; the Center for National Archives and Documents Agency; the Liberian Freedom of Information Coalition; and seven county freedom of information networks joined together to hold these events.
No comments:
Post a Comment