History of 28th September – International Right to Know Day

28 September has its roots in the global Right to Know movement. In 2002, freedom of information advocates from around the world gathered in Sofia, Bulgaria, and chose 28 September, the last day of their meeting, as a dedicated annual day to promote the right of everyone to access information held by public bodies. The movement grew and strong advocacy from African civil society led to an African Commission resolution in 2013 and then UNESCO’s formal proclamation of the International Day for Universal Access to Information in 2015. In 2019, the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized 28 September as the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).

28 September is a global call to celebrate access to information as a fundamental human right and a foundation for transparent, accountable, democratic and inclusive societies. It reminds governments of their duty to make information accessible and empowers citizens to seek the information they need to participate, make informed decisions and hold institutions to account.