Code of Conduct

The Open America: Connection without Borders is an event which brings together renowned national and international meetings, such as Abrelatam/Condatos, one of the main and most long-standing meetings in Latin America and the Caribbean focused on the publication and use of open data, Coda.Br, Data BR Week and Open Government Meeting, connecting and integrating civil society and government actors in agendas with high synergy.

With the aim of promoting the integration, from north to south, of a broad and diverse community, the event includes a series of activities related to themes such as transparency, access to information, civic technologies, data journalism, digital government, accountability and equity. 

This edition of the cycle of events will be held under the coordination of a Local Organizing Committee, made up of the Office of the Comptroller General (CGU), Open Knowledge Brasil (OKBR), the Ponto BR Information and Coordination Center (NIC.br) and the University of São Paulo’s Development and Participation Collaboratory (COLAB-USP). Also participating as organizers are the Organization of American States (OAS), the Latin American Open Data Initiative, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Open Government Partnership (OGP), and the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC).

To ensure that Open America is a success, we present this Code of Conduct, which aims to establish guidelines for harmonious relations among organizers, participants and collaborators, in order to build a respectful and safe place.

Open America’s values and principles

Open America is guided by the following values and principles:

• Respect: the ability to consider other people’s feelings and the rules of coexistence in the venue;
• Honesty: the obligation to act responsibly and fairly;
• Tolerance: the ability to understand others, even if ideas and understandings do not converge;
• Cooperation: a mutual relationship aimed at achieving the same goals;
• Kindness: polite, kind, elegant and cordial behavior towards everyone, without distinction;
• Empathy: the ability to understand different experiences and worldviews;
• Non-violence: the ability to act and communicate without harming other people, whether physically, morally, verbally or psychologically;
• Equality: a principle based on the idea that everyone should have the same rights, duties and opportunities and not be disadvantaged because of their origin, belief, condition or any other reason;
• Fraternity: good relations between everyone, with a view to developing feelings of affection and care;
• Justice: reasonable and impartial balance in all situations;
• Dignity: awareness of one’s own worth.

Open America believes that these values and principles must be constantly observed in order to ensure the creation of a positive and favorable environment for the discussions and exchanges of experiences that the event aims to provide.

Dress code

In Brazil, there are specific dress codes when it comes to visiting public government buildings.

The Serzedello Corrêa Institute (ISC), where Open America will be held, as a building belonging to the Brazilian Legislative Authority, is governed by these guidelines, and attendees are responsible for observing them on all days of the event.

We recommend that participants wear social or casual clothing that conveys professionalism and comfort.

Access will not be allowed with:

• Clothing with offensive or discriminatory messages (in any language);
• Shorts, flip-flops or equivalent footwear.

Simultaneous translation and Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS)

Open America will offer simultaneous translation services in several spaces. Most of them will have translation into the three languages of the event’s main audience (Portuguese/Spanish/English), and it is important to note that, in order to use the translation equipment, it is necessary to present a physical official identification document.

It is also noteworthy that the activities carried out in the Auditorium will also have interpreters of the Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS).

Conviviality in Open America

Open America has several spaces for the activities on its schedule. Everything has been designed to ensure everyone’s comfort throughout the four-day event.

All the rooms, as well as the auditorium, the amphitheater and the laboratories, are air-conditioned and have quality equipment to welcome the Open America audience in the best possible way.

“Praça das Jabuticabeiras” is a large, pleasant space for networking and friendly interaction.

Children are welcome at Open America, which will have play areas for them to stay in, since they are accompanied.

At the venue, there is a restaurant (maximum capacity 100 people) and a snack bar (maximum capacity 40 people), as well as food trucks offering a variety of meals and desserts.

In order for us to be able to use all of this structure for future events, please help us to take care of the facilities provided. We kindly ask you to pay special attention to the points highlighted below:

• Do not enter the auditorium, amphitheater or laboratories with food or drink;
• Do not take any materials out of the rooms without permission and help us to keep the spaces organized and clean at the end of each activity;
• Do not stick any materials on the walls of the rooms, except post-its, during the activities, remembering to collect them at the end;
• Don’t scribble and/or scratch the tables and chairs;
• Don’t neglect the time set aside for activities in each room. This is a sign of respect for other collaborators and will prevent jeopardizing the schedule;
• Do not obstruct corridors, stairways, fire doors and emergency exits.

Inclusion, respect and safety

The Open America community welcomes and encourages the participation of people of all ages, cultures, ethnicities, sexual orientations, languages, races, nationalities and religions.

From this perspective, any of the following situations will be unacceptable:

• Discriminating, inducing or inciting discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, gender or any other form of prejudice;
• Making inappropriate and/or unsolicited physical contact;
• Stalking, harassing and/or threatening other people;
• Infringe on other people’s privacy rights;
• Publishing false content about the event and/or its organizers, collaborators and/or participants;
• Reproducing inappropriate images in Open America venues and activities, including classrooms, lectures, workshops and festive events promoted by the event organizers;
• Impersonating another participant in any situation and/or using other participants’ names for fraudulent purposes.

How to report a problem and ask for help?

Open America aims to be an environment free from any form of disrespect and is committed to protecting and safeguarding those who suffer it. Therefore, should any unpleasant situation occur, we advise you to seek help from the organization team, which will be present in the venue.

Failure to follow the guidelines set out in this Conduct Manual and/or acting in a way that is not aligned with the values and principles of Open America will result in a warning and/or expulsion, as decided by the event’s Organizing Committee.

As formas de denunciar comportamentos inapropriados são as seguintes:

• Directly contact any person in the organization so identified. Upon receiving a personal complaint, our team will ensure that it is recorded in a secure location. The Open America organization undertakes to take the appropriate measures and to treat all cases received with confidentiality and respect.
• Report the situation by e-mailing denuncias@2024.abrelatam.org or using the form available at https://2024.abrelatam.org/en/contact-violation-of-code-of-conduct/. There is no possibility of anonymous reporting, however, the Organizing Committee will maintain discretion in assisting the victim, whose identity will be preserved and not disclosed.

The event’s Organizing Committee will take the necessary steps to ensure that situations of abuse do not occur and will provide assistance to any victims. 

The content of this Code of Conduct may be revised and edited based on suggestions and contributions from the community.

We welcome you to the Open America community!

Have a good event!