Italy Launches its First Open Government Week

What started as a proposal made by civil society in the Italian national Open Government Forum is now becoming a reality. Following through on a commitment made in its Third National Action Plan, the Italian Department of Public Administration is kicking off its first annual Open Government Week (Settimana dell’Amministrazione Aperta – SAA).

The first Open Government Week  will be held from 4 March (International Open Data Day) until 11 March 2017 with events occurring across Italy and online. The full programme is available at http://www.open.gov.it/saa and is continuously updated.

Why Have an Open Government Week?

Greater transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio... and innovation can only be achieved through a fundamental  change in culture, both in the public administration and in our society as a whole. While trust in public institutions continues to be at low levels, it is important to encourage and stimulate lively discussions and debate on these topics by involving citizens, public administrations, and civil society organizations.

Who can contribute to the programme?

There are more than 130 events and initiatives planned for the week. Public authorities, schools, universities, civil society organizations, business firms are all encouraged to participate by organizing  events related to the themes of open government. Upon request, these events can be included in the official programme.

What kind of events are included in the Italian Open Government Week?

The Open Government Week is not exclusively for experts and professionals. The programme is designed for anyone who is interested in learning more about open government through  seminars, hackathons, public debates, webinars, open dataset releases and other initiatives.