"An equitable freedom of writing and printing is one of the firmest pillars on which a free government may rest; for otherwise ... within a few years a horrific darkness will settle over the entire firmament of our liberty."

Anders Chydenius foundation

As globalization faces challenges from various directions, the mission of the Anders Chydenius Foundation to promote discussion on the liberalization of the economy and its consequences is highly topical. If we want to maintain citizens’ strong support for an open economy, it is essential to emphasize our shared values. Chydenius’ principle of transparency is also of great importance today, reminding us of every citizen’s right to know about the exercise of public power – and of the right to express our opinion in public debate. We invite everyone to discuss the meaning of these rights today.

Erkki Liikanen
Chair of the Board of Anders Chydenius Foundation

Anders Chydenius
Selected Works

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Anders Chydenius

Anders Chydenius
Selected Works

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News

Chydenius Medal 2018 granted to Faktabaari

Chydenius Medal 2018 granted to Faktabaari

The 2018 Chydenius Medal was granted to Faktabaari - run by transparency NGO Avoin yhteiskunta ry (Open Society association, Finland) - to mark the outstanding performance on international level in promotion of the principles of openness, cherished by Anders Chydenius, the initiator of the world’s first Freedom of Information Act (1766).

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3 December 2018
Erkki Liikanen to preside the Board of the Foundation

Erkki Liikanen to preside the Board of the Foundation

Anders Chydenius Foundation at its annual meeting (28 February) elected a new chairman for its Board. Now the Chairman is the Governor of the Bank of Finland Erkki Liikanen, the former EU Commissioner from Finland.

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10 March 2017
Exhibition on the 250th Anniversary of the Freedom of the Press Act

Exhibition on the 250th Anniversary of the Freedom of the Press Act

On the occasion of the first celebration of the International Day for the Universal Access to Information, the Permanent Delegations of Sweden and Finland jointly organize at UNESCO Headquarters an exhibition to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the Freedom of the Press Act passed in 1766.

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26 September 2016
Anders Chydenius on the Freedom of Information

Anders Chydenius on the Freedom of Information

Read the original documents! Here you can find three documents written by Chydenius in 1765-66, concerning the freedom of the press and freedom of information. Each document is followed by a commentary written by Professor Lars Magnusson.

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1 May 2016
The great Finnish envoy for freedom of speech gets his own comic

The great Finnish envoy for freedom of speech gets his own comic

No well-known publication has been made about the central ideas of Anders Chydenius (1729-1803), a politician from the Finnish town of Kokkola. The comic “Last Words – The Return of Anders Chydenius” addresses this lack and brings forth Chydenius’ role as a leading advocate for freedom of speech and personal freedom in the 18th century.

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29 April 2016
The Chydenius Medal was awarded to UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova

The Chydenius Medal was awarded to UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova

The Chydenius Medal was granted to the UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova to mark the outstanding performance on international level in promotion of the principles of openness, cherished by Anders Chydenius, the initiator of the world’s first Freedom of Information Act (1766).

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4 December 2015
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