International Day for Universal Access to Information
Albania, Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay
About
International Day for Universal Access to Information, observed on September 28, highlights the importance of everyone’s right to seek, receive, and share information. Access to clear and reliable information supports informed decision-making, strengthens participation in public life, and helps people better understand the issues that affect their communities.
The observance also draws attention to openness, transparency, and the role of free information in building inclusive societies. It is an opportunity to recognize the work of libraries, journalists, public institutions, educators, and advocates who help make knowledge more accessible—and to encourage efforts that ensure no one is left behind.
History
The International Day for Universal Access to Information is observed annually on **September 28**. Its purpose is to recognize that access to information is an essential human right and a foundation of open, accountable societies. The observance highlights the public’s right to seek and receive information held by public authorities, a principle closely connected with freedom of expression, democratic participation, and responsible government.
The day’s origins are associated with the international freedom-of-information movement. On September 28, 2002, civil-society organizations and advocates from several countries met in Sofia, Bulgaria, and promoted the idea of an international day dedicated to the public’s right to know. The date subsequently became linked with campaigns encouraging governments to adopt transparency laws, improve public records systems, and make official information more accessible.
UNESCO gave the observance formal international recognition when its General Conference proclaimed September 28 as the International Day for Universal Access to Information in 2015. The United Nations General Assembly later recognized the day in 2019, helping establish it as a broader global observance rather than one associated only with freedom-of-information organizations. Over time, its focus has expanded alongside digital technologies, encompassing online access, open data, media freedom, privacy, digital divides, and the accessibility of information for marginalized communities.
Culturally and politically, the observance emphasizes that information is not merely an administrative resource but a tool for participation and social equality. Access to reliable public information enables people to understand laws and policies, monitor public spending, respond to crises, and make informed decisions. Events held on September 28—including discussions, educational programs, advocacy campaigns, and initiatives by public institutions—therefore draw attention both to progress in transparency and to continuing barriers such as censorship, excessive secrecy, inaccessible formats, unequal internet access, and misinformation.