It began as a meeting of many worlds. On May 29–30, government officials, civil society organizations, and academics from Mexico, Latin America, and the European Union gathered for “Reconfiguring Open Government: A New Era for Open Data in Mexico,” organised by Indico Global open call winner Ethos and the Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications. The shared question was simple: how do we make open data not just available, but useful? 

From the outset, speakers framed open data as more than transparency; it is participation, accountability, and evidence-based policy; it also fuels economic insight into consumption patterns and potential users. Ensuring that open data is practical, secure, and accessible to all emerged as a common priority. 

A Shift in Mindset: From Files to Use 

A recurring theme tied the sessions together: publication is not the finish line; it’s the starting point. Representatives agreed that Mexico’s open data ecosystem must outlive single administrations and evolve from “downloadable files” toward information people can actually use. 

This was emphasised by Dalia Toledo (Ethos), who spotlighted both the promise and the gaps: experts from Mexico, Latin America, and the EU convened to map strengths and challenges, and to import lessons that strengthen real-world use. 

That shift in mindset also sets a new bar for quality: Omar González (Agency for Digital Transformation and Telecommunications) noted that open data must be justified, relevant, useful, accurate, objective, credible, precise, free of charge, and open for public use. These are not bureaucratic boxes to tick; they are the conditions that give data public value. 

Turning policy into practice requires system design, not just portals. Irving Morales (same agency) described publication as a system of people and processes. The challenges: converting data into useful information and building a publication ecosystem that persists beyond a single administration. 

Learning Outward, Building Inward 

Mexico is not starting from scratch. International experience shows what “usable” looks like. In his keynote, José Luis Ros-Medina (International Academic Network on Open Government) shared EU practices – interoperability, user-centred design, and open standards – as viable paths for adaptation in Latin America. He also linked open government and artificial intelligence, underscoring how AI can support transparency when developed in parallel with openness. 

Bridging the production use gap often runs through universities. Eva María Méndez Rodríguez (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid) highlighted the role of data science in academia and how universities can partner with government to improve data quality, accessibility, and analysis for public impact. 

Inclusion as Infrastructure 

Usability without inclusion is half a system. In the panel “Best Practices in Open Data from Mexico and the EU,” Esther Manzanera Delgado stressed integrating a gender lens across the entire data cycle – from collection to use – to avoid reinforcing inequality or rendering key groups invisible. 

In “Challenges of Data Openness in Latin America,” Violeta Belver (ILDA) presented findings from the Global Data Barometer, reminding participants that openness only matters if it solves real problems in people’s daily lives. This is the practical test of every dataset: who can use it, for what, and to what effect? 

Rights, Regulation, and Direction 

Openness also travels with rights. Patricia Reyes Olmedo (University of Valparaíso, Chile) noted Chile’s steps toward AI and open data legislation grounded in dignity and human rights—a reminder that legal frameworks can anchor technical ambition in public values. 

And ambition needs direction. Edgar Ruvalcaba (Academic Network on Open Government in Mexico) called for a national open data policy to organise institutional efforts amid a shifting regulatory and technological landscape. 

The Throughline: Publish for Use, Sustain for Impact 

Across two days, a clear throughline emerged: publish for use; design for inclusion; plan for continuity. Mexico’s opportunity is to pair political will with durable governance, skills, and standards, so the ecosystem endures across administrations and delivers tangible local value. 

Open data is not a portal; it’s a practice sustained by people, processes, and shared standards. The conversations in Mexico point to a practical path: user-centred design, interoperable formats, inclusive lenses, and a governance model that survives political cycles.