World leaders, visionaries, advocates meet to find solutions to scourge of corruption
13th International Anti-Corruption Conference kicks off on 30 October in Athens, Greece
As the world faces financial, energy and food crises and the challenges to governance and accountability they pose, the global anti-corruption community gathers for the 13th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) beginning tomorrow, 30 October 2008 in Athens, Greece.
Under the banner “Global Transparency: Fighting corruption for a sustainable future”, this year’s IACC will examine sustainability as a governance challenge and the role of corruption in some crucial areas: peace and security, the natural resources and energy sectors, climate change and sustainable globalisation.
Joining a diverse group of 1300 participants from all regions of the world, will be prominent speakers such as: HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Managing Director of the World Bank, Siim Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission, Kostas Karamanlis, Prime Minister of Greece, Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International, Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana and recent winner of the Mo Ibrahim Prize and George Papandreou, President of Socialist International and President of Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK).
The IACC, first held in 1983, has evolved into the leading global forum on governance and anti-corruption. The conference fosters cooperation and innovation in developing tools to tackle corruption, a scourge that continues to trap millions in a vicious cycle of poverty and threatens sustainable development. The conference brings together heads of state, academics, compliance experts, civil society, business and government representatives, all of whom are engaged in innovative work to prevent and fight corruption in all its forms.
“The objective of this conference is to re-invigorate anti-corruption work by generating new ideas, partnerships and propositions that can match the depth and complexity of corruption in the 21st century,” said the Honourable Justice Barry O’Keefe, Chair of the IACC Council.
Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International added: “The mission of the IACC, to find anti-corruption solutions through policy, trade and awareness, has never been more relevant for alleviating the poverty, alienation and conflict that corruption breeds. The challenges of transparency and accountability are immense, but so is the commitment and creativity of the anti-corruption community gathered here.”
Costas Bakouris, Chair of Transparency International Greece stated: “A constructive discussion about the grounds and ways of confronting corruption in the era of globalisation is imperative. Raising social conscience and building a coalition of all valuable forces is the essential antidote to corruption. The International Anti-Corruption Conference serves this purpose.”
The 13th IACC is organised by the IACC Council in cooperation with Transparency International and Transparency International Greece (Hellas) and is generously hosted by the Government of Greece.
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Note to Editors:
The Hon. Justice Barry O’Keefe, Chair of the IACC Council, and Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International, as well as Costas Bakouris, Chair of Transparency International Greece and Aris M. Syngros, CEO of TI Greece, are available for interviews throughout the conference.
Selected speakers at the conference are available for interviews. For a full list of speakers please see: http://www.13iacc.org/en/IACC_Speakers/plenary_session_panellists
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