September 29, 2010
CONTRIBUTE WITH YOUR THOUGHTS. WHY IS ACCESS TO INFORMATION IMPORTANT?
The Human RightS Initiative (HRSI) and the Center for Media and Communication Studies (CMCS) at CEU would like to thank you all for participating in the International Right to Know Day. During our activity organized in the CEU Octagon area on September 28, 2010, many of you added your thoughts to a list of quotations about why access to information is important.
This list is not finished. On the contrary, we are looking forward to receiving more of your thoughts about why access to information is crucial - including why it is needed in your specific policy fields such as the protection of environment or human rights - during the film screening of Secrecy, a continuation of the Right to Know Day celebrated worldwide on September 28. The screening will take place in the CEU Auditorium, on Monday, October 4, from 5:30 pm, followed by a discussion moderated by Peter Molnar, Senior Research Fellow at CMCS. In addition, you can also e-mail your quotes to either Peter Molnar (CMCS) at MolnarP@ceu.hu, or Alex Krasznay (HRSI) at KrasznayA@ceu.hu, and we will add them to this list.
The right to know is an essential part of basic human rights and absolutely necessary for governmental transparency and effective democracy.
- Emily, U.S.A.
Well informed citizenry with robust, wide open, uninhibited access to information is the best safeguard of our national security. Freedom of information is very useful and necessary for all participatory democracies. It is also our individual right even if it is not useful.
- Peter, Hungary
Those that desire to control should at least have the decency to do it openly.
-Karina, Kazakhstan
Access to information rules.
- Jerz, Poland
Information is power. Access to information enables you to succeed.
- Eszter, Hungary
It is good for deliberation about important things in life.
- Andres, Mexico
Information is important because in authoritarian regimes like Iran they ban the access to information in order to survive, but, contrarily enough, it becomes the cause of their collapse!
- Ali, Iran
Access to information is essential to making valid and fruitful suggestions for improvement of public activity by the civil society.
- Raluca, Romania
Freedom of information softens the traditionally demarcated boundaries between language, culture and nation. It encourages us to see ourselves as citizens of the world.
- Rian, USA
Without freedom of information, democracy is an empty promise.
- Freeman, USA
Information provides knowledge and knowledge is all about success.
- Taqseer Khan, India
Access to information can also harm people, but it’s worth taking the risk!
- Alex, Romania
Those that have access to information, have power as well.
- Ana, Moldova
All knowledge should be open source
- Alexander Hamilton, USA J
People should have access to information, because it is their right to decide what they want to know and what they don’t want to.
- Victor, Russia
Freedom of speech and information is one of the fundamental values envisioned by many humanist thinkers centuries ago. It is our responsibility to protect this value as well as export it to the authoritarian states for the sake of the whole mankind.
- David, Georgia
Without access to quality information, one cannot make good decisions.
- Bill, USA
Liberal democracy requires transparency.
- Nick, Norway
Information leads to knowledge and knowledge leads to successful life.
- Luba, Slovakia
It is not only the access to information but also what we can do or should do with this information > transformation.
- Paloma, Mexico
If we have better access to information in Egypt, that will definitely lead to more transparency which will lead to less corruption which currently is the major problem in Egypt.
- Rania, Egypt
Because we have to hold governments and corporations accountable to the people.
- Kate, U.S.
Because I am curious.
- Eva, Hungary
You do not lose knowledge by sharing it. If today knowledge is becoming the main component of wealth, then wealth should be shared for free.
- Jakob, Iran
Access to government held information enhances citizenship participation in governance, democracy and the whole concept of free society.
- Dr. Ngambouk Vitalis Pemunta
Information is power, and power must belong to the people.
- Erjon Muharremaj, Albania
Exercising your right to be informed makes you less ignorant.
- Unknown
There is no such thing as too much information.
- Pavol, Slovakia
Adequate information is a prerequisite for any effective decision-making. Deny access to information, disable successful decision-making.
- John, U.K.
The right to know is a 'foundation right' for the exercise of all our human rights.
- Laura, Romania
Disclaimer: We accept no liability for the content of this list. Any views or opinions presented belong entirely to the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of CMCS and HRSI.