|
21
FEBRUARY 2005
Information Commissioners Meet in Cancún
3rd
Annual Conference Draws Attendees from 50 Countries
Today,
freedom of information advocates and government officials
who implement access laws around the world gathered in Cancún,
Mexico for the 3rd annual International Conference of Information
Commissioners, hosted by Mexico's own commission (IFAI -
Instituto Federal de Acceso a la Información
Pública).
The
Mexican organizers reached beyond the ranks of official
delegates to bring together a wide range of civil society
groups, non-governmental organizations, legal experts, academics,
and openness activists from more than 50 countries, ranging
from India to Ireland, Argentina to Estonia, Thailand to
Peru. Mexico's own law, enacted in 2002 and in effect since
June 2003, has already attracted more than 60,000 requests
from the public and produced more than a dozen major success
stories against corruption and coverup, according to IFAI's
reports.
Many
members of the freedominfo.org network are participating
in this week's conference -- probably the largest of its
kind ever held -- and the program is posted below in Spanish
and English.
International
Conference of Information Ministers, Power of Access to
Public Information, Program - English
Conferencia
Internacional de Comisionados de Acceso a la Información,
El Poder del Acceso a la Información Pública,
Programa - Español
Also
posted below is the Delcaration of Cancún, a document
signed by conference participants calling on governments
"to promote the full implementation of access to information"
and to apply the principles of transparency "to all
government decision-making, budgeting, and administrative
functions."
Delcaration
of Cancún - Transparency and Accountability: A
Commitment to Democracy - English
Declaración
de Cancún - Tranparencia y Rendición de
Cuentas: Un Compromiso con la Democracia - Español
Back
to top
|
