For information only - not an official document
UNIS/CP/880
4 November 2015
As prepared for delivery
It is a pleasure for me to welcome you to this special side event, held under the auspices of UNODC's Anti-Corruption Academic Initiative, on "Combatting Corruption Through Education".
It goes without saying that education is crucial in creating the positive change in attitudes needed to combat corruption.
Shaping the minds of the next generations of leaders and thinkers is part of this process.
Moreover, having the buy-in of academia can only further enhance efforts to support effective implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
That is what UNODC is aiming to achieve with the ACAD Initiative.
We support efforts to integrate anti-corruption education and courses by universities and other academic institutions into academic programmes.
This approach is founded on the principles that such action is practical; voluntary; complementary; and free for all to use.
Although ACAD has been active for a number of years, the Initiative has recently built up strong momentum.
Indeed, over the last eighteen months, the high interest and support for the ACAD has grown significantly.
Hundreds of academics from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America and Oceania, with diverse backgrounds and experience, have benefited from, and contributed to, ACAD workshops, events and the development of a model course, as well as syllabi, case studies, educational tools and reference materials.
I believe that this Session of the Conference of the States Parties to UN Convention Against Corruption offers an excellent opportunity for experts and academics to discuss how best to overcome challenges associated with teaching and research on anti-corruption.
In this regard, it is my pleasure to bring to your attention the recommendations that came out of a high-level ACAD Symposium in Moscow at the end of October, which was organized by UNODC, the Moscow States Institute of International Affairs and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre of Doha, Qatar.
I would like to thank our partners in that initiative. The success and growth of the ACAD is in no small part due to the strong support of Dr. Al-Marri, the Attorney-General of the State of Qatar and the UNODC Regional Special Advocate for the Prevention of Corruption, and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre, Doha, Qatar.
To this can be added the welcome support provided by the Russian Federation to help continue ACAD activities.
I hope this special event will be of use to you all, to share experiences and discuss the successes and challenges in teaching on anti-corruption.
It is also an opportunity to provide you with an update on the significant progress made in the context of the ACAD Initiative, including more details about the outcomes of the recent ACAD Symposium.
Thank you and I wish you a fruitful discussion.
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Conference website of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CAC/CAC-COSP-session6.html
Conference website of the Host Country: http://www.uncorruption.ru/en/
For further information for the media go to:
http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/events/2015/cosp6_2015.html
For further information contact:
Martin
Nesirky
Spokesperson for the 6
th Session of the Conference of the States Parties
to the UN Convention against Corruption
Mobile: +7 921 437 8894 or +43 699 1459 5676
Email: martin.nesirky[at]unvienna.org
or
David
Dadge
Spokesperson, UNODC
Mobile: +43 699 1459 5629
Email: david.dadge[at]unvienna.org
Follow @UNODC and @UN_Vienna on Twitter and join the conversation using #NoToCorruption.
