Sunshine Week
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sunshine Week is an initiative spearheaded by the American Society of News Editors to educate the public about the importance of open government and the dangers of excessive and unnecessary secrecy.
Each year, in mid-March, coinciding with James Madison's birthday and National Freedom of Information Day on the 16th, hundreds of media and other participants write news and feature articles and opinion columns; post special Web pages and blogs; create infographics; draw editorial cartoons; create public service advertising; put on public seminars and forums to engage public discussion.
[edit] History of Sunshine Week
Sunshine Week evolved from the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors’ Sunshine Sunday initiative that first appeared in Florida in 2002 and then expanded into several states.
The proposal for Sunshine Week came at a 2003 ASNE Freedom of Information summit. Funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the first nationwide Sunshine Week took place March 13–19, 2005. The Knight Foundation continues to support the event until 2008.
