The annual Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award is being held for the first time on the African continent this year, and will be presented to nominees who have demonstrated a willingness to fight systemic corruption and champion the message of anti-corruption among the people of the regions in which they operate.
The fourth edition of the award will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, tomorrow in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and supported by the government of Rwanda. It will celebrate the most effective and courageous members of the anti-corruption community.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the award is held each year on World Anti-Corruption Day (December 9).
Winners are selected based on their contributions to the global fight against corruption, which is defined by UNODC through their role as custodians of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
This year’s global list of nominees has been filtered down to awards in four anti-corruption categories: Lifetime or Outstanding Achievement; Academic Research and Education; Youth Creativity and Engagement; and Innovation.
“The efforts of global anti-corruption practitioners are taking on innovative forms fuelled by a digital world that gives people the ability to be heard when identifying corruption. This encourages the relevant authorities in their countries to work to eliminate these elements from their communities,” a press statement noted.
A hand fighting corruption is the perennial theme of the awards, with the winner’s statuette being a rendering of an open hand, which represents the values of the awards. These values include transparency and connectedness, which are essential to the success of efforts to address corruption.
Among the nominees each year are organisations, individuals and media who have, in many cases, braved threats and aggression to become advocates for justice and fairness within their communities, the statement continues.
The awards are open to submissions from around the world. The evaluation process was initiated earlier this year by a call for online nominations, which were then assessed by two separate committees who determine the eventual winners in each category.
