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Access to Information
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| Sponsoring Division: Regional Activities |
Scope
The purpose of Access to Information Network - Africa (ATINA) will be to aid, assess and promote free public access to government information and information about governments, freedom of expression and democracy through libraries and library professionals across the African continent. Foundation of such an IFLA discussion group was called for as part of a resolution by the participants in the four-day GIOPS-FAIFE-UNECA International Conference on WSIS Implementation and Seminar on Government Information in Africa held in Addis Ababa on 27-30 March 2006.
The group will seek to achieve its objectives in the first instance through sponsoring IFLA conference programs on African access to government information and information about governments and on the role of libraries in promoting freedom of expression and democracy. Programs are being planned for the Durban World Library and Information Congress (2007) and, with a francophone African emphasis, for the Québec WLIC (2008).
With the collaboration of UNECA, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and as mandated by the Addis Ababa resolution, ATINA is also establishing a listserver for ongoing discussion of its objectives by African librarians. Initial discussion list membership includes the eighty-plus African participants in the Addis Ababa conference as well as the members of the ATINA coordinating team. Action projects funded through development aid and collaborative online work through an ATINA wiki are also envisaged as future possibilities.
Conferences
Call for Papers and PanelistsWorld Library and Information Congress,
August 2007, Durban, South Africa
Mailing list:
Submissions: atina-c@infoserv.inist.fr
Web: http://infoserv.inist.fr/wwsympa.fcgi/info/atina-c
Useful Addresses
Convenor:
Francis T. Kirkwood
Reference Librarian
Library of Parliament
Ottawa, Canada
E-mail: kirkwf@parl.gc.ca