International Right to Know Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
The OSCE Mission to Serbia documented International Right to Know Day on 28 September in partnership with public institutions, UNDP, journalists and transparency groups.
About International Right to Know Day
International Right to Know Day is observed on 28 September to promote the public’s right to access information held by governments and public institutions.
The observance originated in the international freedom-of-information advocacy community. OSCE material states that it was established by access-to-information advocates and first celebrated on 28 September 2003.
Why International Right to Know Day matters
The day emphasizes that access to public information supports accountability, informed participation, journalism and citizens’ ability to understand how public power and public money are used.
It is closely related to the broader international movement for freedom of information and right-to-information laws, but the observance itself began as a civil-society initiative rather than a treaty-based holiday.
History of International Right to Know Day
International access-to-information advocates meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2002 developed the initiative that became International Right to Know Day.
An OSCE publication states that the day was first celebrated on 28 September 2003. OSCE field missions and public-information institutions later used the date for awards, conferences and transparency outreach.
UNESCO subsequently institutionalized 28 September as the International Day for Universal Access to Information. That later observance shares the date and subject area but is not treated as the founding act of the earlier Right to Know Day.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
2002 Sofia access-to-information advocates meeting / Right to Know initiative
The Sofia advocacy initiative preceded the first documented international celebration in 2003.
International access-to-information advocates meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria
UNESCO background material identifies the earlier Right to Know Day as originating from the Sofia civil-society movement, while OSCE material describes it as established by access-to-information advocates from around the globe.
International access-to-information advocacy community
The original observance was created by civil-society advocates rather than by a government or intergovernmental treaty body.
First documented observance
An OSCE publication states that International Right to Know Day was first celebrated on 28 September 2003.
Institutionalized 28 September in UNESCO as the International Day for Universal Access to Information, building on the earlier Right to Know Day tradition.
UNESCO General Conference · Proclamation of 28 September as the International Day for Universal Access to Information
Decentralized freedom-of-information advocates, information commissioners and partner institutions
OSCE material documents recurring marking of the day by public institutions, civil society and international partners.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
How to Observe International Right to Know Day
Learn how to make a lawful public-information request in your country or region.
Review the proactive-disclosure pages of public bodies and check whether important budgets, decisions and records are easy to find.
Support responsible journalism, open-data work and civic organizations that improve access to public information.
Use the day to discuss both the public interest in transparency and legitimate legal protections such as privacy and narrowly defined security exemptions.
International Right to Know Day Facts
International Right to Know Day is observed on 28 September.
OSCE material says it was established by access-to-information advocates from around the world.
The first celebration is documented as 28 September 2003.
OSCE missions have used the day for public transparency events and freedom-of-information awards.
UNESCO later established the International Day for Universal Access to Information on the same date; that later UN-system observance should not be confused with the original civil-society founding history.
International Right to Know Day Messages
On International Right to Know Day, may public information be easier to find, understand and use responsibly.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media — Access to Information and New Technologies (opens in a new tab)
UNESCO — International Day for Universal Access to Information proposal/proclamation background (opens in a new tab)
OSCE Mission to Serbia — International Right to Know Day (opens in a new tab)
Intergovernmental Organization
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Right to Know Day?
28 September The documented recurrence rule is: 28 September.
Does International Right to Know Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is International Right to Know Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Access-to-information and transparency advocacy; historically used by OSCE and civil-society partners. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Right to Know Day?
The reviewed sources identify International access-to-information advocacy community as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as International access-to-information advocates meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Decentralized freedom-of-information advocates, information commissioners and partner institutions.
Is International Right to Know Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Access-to-information and transparency advocacy; historically used by OSCE and civil-society partners. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-07.
When is International Right to Know Day?
It is observed on 28 September.
When was it first celebrated?
An OSCE publication states that International Right to Know Day was first celebrated on 28 September 2003.
Is it the same as UNESCO’s International Day for Universal Access to Information?
They share the same date and closely related purpose, but the Right to Know Day originated earlier in civil-society advocacy; UNESCO’s international day is a later institutional observance.
Other observances on September 28
These observances are also listed on September 28, 2027.
Czech Statehood Day
Current Czech law lists 28 September as Czech Statehood Day; the page’s St. Wenceslas wording is a search-facing alias for the statehood observance.
Fish Tank Floorshow Night
Wellcat Holidays lists Fish Tank Floorshow Night on September 28 and identifies Thomas and Ruth Roy as the holiday creators.
International Day for Universal Access to Information
A/RES/74/5
National Good Neighbor Day
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National North Carolina Day
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