Open Government Partnership August Update

The OGP publishes a monthly newsletter. Want to receive it? Please email info [at] opengovpartnership.org with ‘subscribe to OGP newsletter’ in the header. This month’s edition can be found below in English. Please feel free to post your comments at the bottom of this page. For Spanish and Portuguese translations please click here.

In this issue:

1. Good ideas come from everywhere: OGP Blog Digest
2. From Words to Action: Your OGP Commitments
3. Hearing from you: OGP’s Government Survey
4. Calendar of OGP events
5. OGP’s Strategic Plan & Independent Reporting Mechanism
6. OGP in the News

1. Good ideas come from everywhere: OGP Blog Digest OGP’s blog is a platform for views from all over the OGP community. Here are some of the latest and greatest posts: • July 30, 2012: “So what’s in those OGP action plans anyway?” • July 23, 2012: “What Model for the South?” • July 20, 2012: “Open Data and Economic Growth: What Link, If any?” Do you want your country spotlighted on OGP’s Blog? We want to hear (and see) your story. So raise your hand and let us hear your voice! Read more about how to submit your guest blog to OGP.

2. From Words to Actions: Your OGP Commitment Your action plan took a lot of work to write, and chances are it’s taking even more work to implement. Now that most OGP countries are on the path of implementation, we encourage you to update the rest of the world on your progress by logging on to the OGP website with your country’s unique username and password. Once logged on, you can add files and text to your country’s OGP page. If you have questions, feel free to email the Support Unit: info [at] opengovpartnership.org We also welcome hearing about your action plan experience! Read how to submit your guest blog here. Facing challenges in the implementation of your OGP action plan? You are not alone! OGP is here to help. Contact the OGP Networking Mechanism (networking [at] opengovpartnership.org) to set up a consultation over Skype or phone.

3. Hearing from you: OGP’s Government Survey The Open Government Partnership’s success is built on the depth and range of our conversations with our growing community. Now that the majority of OGP countries have at least two months of experience in implementing action plans, we want to hear how it is going. Please take ten minutes to fill out this important survey, which will inform the future of OGP: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ogpgovernments.

4. Calendar of OGP Events It is shaping up to be a busy couple of months for OGP enthusiasts. You can always find upcoming events on OGP’s website: http://www.opengovpartnership.org/calendar/grid/2012 Here’s a brief summary:

• Open Knowledge Festival, Helsinki, September 18: For more information, please visit: http://okfestival.org/
• OGP Anniversary Event, New York City, September 26: OGP Leaders will come together on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly to reflect on the initiative’s enormous growth since its launch just twelve months ago. As we celebrate over 300 OGP commitments covering more than two billion people around the world, one thing is clear: our work is only just beginning. Government invitations will be issued through diplomatic offices and will be limited to two delegates per country. Civil society invitations will be issued directly to invitees. By invitation only.
• OGP Europe: Dubrovnik Conference, October 4-5: As part of this regional OGP meeting, Global Integrity is planning a series of networking sessions on October 4 on behalf of the OGP Networking Mechanism with a thematic focus on Access to Information. The aim of the session on the 4th (which will run from the morning until mid-afternoon) is to connect civil society and private sectorGovernments are working to open private sector practices as well — including through beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, and regulating environmental standards. Technical specificat... More supplier organizations with governments to discuss potential areas for collaboration. This will be a great opportunity to not only share your perspectives on the topic but also connect with other organizations working in the space.
• Internet Governance Forum, Baku, Azerbaijan, November 8: For more information, please visit: http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/

We encourage OGP stakeholders from government and civil society to attend these events and report back to the OGP blog. If you are involved in an event not listed here, please email us at info [at] opengovpartnership.org.

5. OGP’s Strategic Plan and Independent Reporting Mechanism You are encouraged to review and provide input to OGP’s first Strategic Plan and its Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM). Both documents can be found on OGP’s website: http://www.opengovpartnership.org. We are also asking for nominations for the IRM’s International Expert Panel. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone you know, please email Caroline Mauldin, Acting Director of OGP’s Support Unit, at caroline [at] opengovpartnership.org.

6. OGP in the News In case you missed it, OGP continues to make headlines around the world. Check out our latest stories: ‘Mobile participatory budgeting helps raise tax revenues in Congo’ – 30th July 2012 ‘Ukraine Makes Another Step Toward Transparency’ – 27th July 2012 ‘Bulgaria e-gov project to shine light on government spending’ – 24th July 2012 ‘Hungary joins Open Government Partnership; pledges to fight corruption’ – 6th July 2012

*** Don’t forget to fill out the OGP Government Survey by September 10th! https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ogpgovernments ***

Photo credit: Contacts by Liz West via Wikimedia