The Access to Information Programme is preparing to hold the 20th Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony on September 28, 2022 in Bulgaria online.

28 September is the day when the Freedom of Information Advocates Network was established in 2002 at a litigation conference held in Sofia, Bulgaria. The AIP is one of the founders and active member of the FOIAnet and since then has been taking an active part in the FOIAnet initiatives, including the celebration of the Right to Know Day.

In 2015, UNESCO declared September 28th as the "International Day for Universal Access to Information". In 2019, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution L.1, proclaiming 28 September as the International Day for Universal Access to Information.

The RKD Campaign in Bulgaria

The Right to Know Day is the strongest tool in the AIP campaign for encouraging the exercise of the right to information and pushing for enhanced government transparency and accountability.

Nominations in six categories are collected to be awarded with four positive and two anti-awards. Nominations were collected via the dedicated web site maintained by the AIP www.RightToKnowDay.net.

Each nomination is a unique access to information case. That is why the media interest is high and the coverage is wide. Winners are selected by a jury of renowned journalists and NGO representatives.

The Golden Key Award and anti-awards

Тhe ceremony will be broadcasted live online on 28 September 2022, 14.00 Bulgarian time.

At the Right to Know Day Awards Ceremony on the 28 Sept., the AIP would present the “Golden Key” awards to citizens, journalists, and NGOs, who have actively exercised their right of access to information and public authorities with good transparency practices. Institutions with bad transparency practices receive the “Padlock” anti-award, while absurd practices are recognized with the “Tied Key” anti-award.



The 2022 Right to Know Day Campaign is run within the project Access to Information Forum, implemented with the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the EEA Financial Mechanism and within the project Access to Information and Transparency Advice Center supported by a grant from America for Bulgaria Foundation.