WCL Hosts Third Annual International Right-to-Know Day Celebration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC, September 24, 2009 – In a development that barely could have been envisioned by the authors of the Freedom of In­formation Act (FOIA) four decades ago, and with a force that has been accelerating around the globe, people in more than 75 na­tions of the world now enjoy the benefits of government trans­parency laws akin to the FOIA. 

In the Unit­ed States, “Freedom of Infor­ma­tion Day" is cel­­ebrated each year on March 16, the birthday of James Mad­ison, and since 2002 members of the in­­ternational transparency community around the world likewise have cele­brat­ed an­nu­al “International Right-to-Know Day” on September 28, a day marking their progress and unity.  The event is presented by the Collaboration on Government Secrecy.   

When: September 28, 2009

            10 A.M. – 4 P.M.

Where: American University Washington College of Law

             4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20016, International Student Lounge

Full Schedule:

10:00 a.m.     Welcome and Introduction -- Daniel J. Metcalfe, Executive Director, CGS                                                                                                 

10:15 a.m.     Keynote Presentation:  “Transparency in the UK and Beyond” -- Alasdair S. Roberts, Professor of Law and Public Policy, Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts, and Honorary Senior Research Fellow, University College London

11:30 a.m.      Break

11:45 a.m.      Kevin Dunion, Information Commissioner of Scotland, and Arne Fliflet, Information Commissioner of Norway -- via audio connection at the Sixth International Conference of Information Commissioners in Oslo, Norway    

12:45 p.m.     Lunch

1:45 p.m.       Survey of Transparency Worldwide -- Tom Blanton, Director, National Security Archive; Jamie P. Horsley, Deputy Director, China Law Center, Yale Law School; Toby McIntosh, Steering Committee Coordinator, Global Transparency Initiative

3:00 p.m.       Restoration of U.S. International Transparency Leadership During the Obama Administration -- Kevin M. Goldberg, Legal Counsel, American Society of Newspaper Editors; Miriam M. Nisbet, Founding Director, Office of Government Information Services, NARA, and most recently Director, Information Society Division, UNESCO, Paris; John Verdi, Director, Open Government Project, EPIC

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