International seminar discusses journalism and access laws in four countries

Event will be held on May 18, in commemoration of the nine years of LAI implementation in Brazil

 

The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil, in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji) and the British Diplomatic Mission in Brazil, will host an international seminar next Tuesday, May 18, 2021, on access to information laws in four countries – Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom and India – and how they benefit journalism.

The seminar “LAI and Journalism: Paths to Public Transparency” celebrates nine years since the implementation of the Access to Information Law in Brazil (Federal Law 12.527/2011). The online, free event will be broadcast from 10:30 am (Brasília time), with simultaneous translation into Portuguese and English. 

Registration can be made at: https://eventos.congresse.me/lai2021  

The event will be attended by: Nate Jones, director of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) department at The Washington Post (USA); Jen Bramley, partnership manager at MySociety, a UK non-profit that uses online technologies to empower citizens in civic space; Shyamlal Yadav, senior editor at the Bureau of Investigation of The Indian Express and a pioneer in the effective use of India’s RTI (Right to Information) Act; and Luiz Fernando Toledo, director of Abraji and co-founder of Fiquem Sabendo, an agency specializing in Access to Information Law (LAI). 

The debate will be mediated by Marina Atoji, project and communication manager at Transparência Brasil and coordinator of the Forum for the Right of Access to Public Information, a coalition of organizations dedicated to defending the Access to Information Law in Brazil, of which Abraji is a member.

LAI Report

During the seminar, Luiz Fernando Toledo will present the main data of the 4th edition of Abraji’s report that evaluates the performance of LAI in Brazilian newsrooms. The study shows the difficulties faced by journalists when they use the law to obtain information to be used in their reporting. In 2021, the number of respondents broke a record: 384 professionals from all over the country took part in the survey.

Service

“LAI and Journalism: paths to public transparency”

Date: May 18, Tuesday
Time: 10:30am (Brasília time)
Free registration: https://eventos.congresse.me/lai2021  

*Event with simultaneous translation

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