The Open Government Pioneer Project in Scotland wants your views on what radical open government should look like
THE OPEN GOVERNMENT PIONEER PROJECT, an initiative to include civil society in promoting transparency in open government, is holding a meet-up tonight (22 August) in Edinburgh at 7pm in the Golf Tavern in Bruntsfield.
The Open Government Partnership worldwide aims to use increased transparency and accountability to involve people at both a national and civic level in using open government strategies that work towards the UN’s sustainable development goals. Scotland has been selected as one of 20 global locations to have ‘pioneer’ status, which means that Scottish citizens have the chance to take part in a pilot project that will inform how open government might look in a devolved nation.
The Open Government pioneer project in Scotland is led by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) in partnership with the Scottish Government. To find out more about what open government is and how the project operates, you can read Ben Simmons’ breakdown here.
Speaking about the pioneer project status, Ruchir Shah of SCVO, said: “Scotland has just been given a shortcut to the global spotlight,” adding that he hoped that people would see the project as a chance to react to distrust in the government and government institutions voiced during the EU referendum by getting involved with making plans to create a more transparent open government environment.
“One big idea is that governments that open themselves up more to transparency, accountability and public participation will not only deliver better outcomes for people, but build greater trust in how government works,” he said. He encouraged anyone who was interested to attend this meet-up in Edinburgh and others, and to get involved online, saying that it would be a “massive missed opportunity to not come up with a genuinely pioneering plan” now that Scotland is part of the project.
In addition to tonight’s event in Edinbugh, there is also a meet-up planned soon in Glasgow.
Picture courtesy of World Trade Organization
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