Every September 28th is observed as the International Day for Universal Access to Information. As the name of this holiday suggests, it’s a day that supports the idea that everyone around the world should have the basic right to find, receive, and disseminate information.

It’s considered to be a part of our freedom of expression and is seen as something that is important for people making informed decisions, not only in democratic governments but also as a way for citizens to fight against tyranny.

Unfortunately, governments across the world limit access to information and don’t even consider a citizen’s access to information as a basic right. This holiday attempts to change that trend and to let every citizen of the world know that access to information is a basic human right.

The History of International Day for Universal Access to Information

This holiday was created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on November 17, 2015. The first official observation of this holiday was held on September 28, 2016. The purpose they had for creating this holiday was to encourage governments around the world to adopt Freedom of Information policies.

Some Quick Facts About the Information for All Programme (IFAP)

Since one of the major tenets of this holiday is the Information for All Programme (IFAP), we thought we’d take a few moments to discuss it. The purpose of IFAP is to help UNESCO member states adopt, develop, and eventually implement national information policies.

This is especially important in a world that is increasingly dependent on communication and information dissemination. Below are the ways that this program concentrates its efforts.

Information for Development

Disorganized records are usually more expensive than developing a modern information system, and this aspect of IFAP encourages governments to invest in infrastructure.

Information Preservation

Preserving information is just as important as disseminating it. This aspect of IFAP encourages governments to use museums, libraries, and archives to preserve information for all humankind.

Information Ethics

This component of IFAP covers the societal, ethical, and legal aspects of information technology and is modeled according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Information Literacy

This empowers all citizens to find, evaluate, and use information effectively to achieve their personal, educational, social, or occupational goals.

Observing International Day for Universal Access to Information

All around the world, UNESCO holds seminars, webinars, and other events that discuss topics related to the right of people to obtain and disseminate information. Countries that recognize this right also hold special events to let their citizens know about their rights to information. People can also share their thoughts on what information freedom means to them by using the hashtag #IDUAI on social media.