Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with award winners at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, yesterday.
Vienna: Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani honoured the winners of "Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Anti-Corruption Excellence Award at its first round, held under the auspices of the United Nations in a ceremony held at the Hofburg Palace, in the Austrian capital Vienna, yesterday.
The Emir presented the Award for scientific research Anti-Corruption to both Dr Miodrag L from Macedonia, and the research group on issues of corruption and democracy from France. The innovation award was given to the Afghan group "Art of Lords," and Hanan Khandakji, a Palestinian journalist who had a prominent role in the field of investigative journalism.
The Emir presented the award of creativity of young people to both "Anti-Corruption Youth Greec", from Greece, and "TM music" from Tanzania, an orchestra involved in spreading the culture of anti-corruption through music.
The Lifetime Achievement Award for the fight against corruption was given to Guatemala's Attorney General, Thelma Aldana for her investigations in the field of government corruption and tax evasion. Addressing the ceremony, Qatar's Attorney General and UN Special Advocate for the Prevention of Corruption H E Dr Ali bin Fetais Al Marri said: "We started preparing for this award last year in St Petersburg , during the 8th Annual Conference of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities.
Dr Ali bin Fetais Al Marri expressed thanks to the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for this important and far reaching initiative which, he said, requires committed and courageous people who have determination to fight corruption at all levels.
For his part, the Secretary General of the United Nations Ban-Ki Moon expressed thanks to the Emir and the Government of Qatar for supporting the global anti-corruption efforts, crime prevention and the rule of law through the implementation of the Doha Declaration adopted last year at the 13th Crime Congress.
He also congratulated the recipients of the Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Anti-Corruption Excellence Award.
The UN Chief said that corruption is a poisonous root that reaches deep into all our societies . It chokes hopes and frustrates opportunities.
Corruption is arguably one of the world's biggest drivers of inequity and equality, he added.
Yury Fedotov, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, praised the Emir for launching the Anti-Corruption Excellence Award.
The Ambassador of Mexico to Austria Alicia B said that on a personal note, as Permanent Representative of the International Organisations in Vienna, "it's my strong personal conviction that multilateral diplomacy must focus on concrete results that contribute to tangible process , including in areas such as accountability and transparency mechanism that live up to the expectations of our societies. The impact of the Anti-corruption Excellence Award in support of the work of the United Nations is an example of such achievements."
On behalf of the winners, Guatemala's Attorney-General, Thelma Aldana, expressed thanks to the Emir for launching the award and in fostering the exchange of knowledge, information and best practices in the fight against corruption, saying "in the name of winners, it's a great honour to receive an excellence Award in the fight against the corruption , and we find ourselves in a defining moment in the anti-corruption efforts in various regions of the world.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials, politicians, academics and intellectuals from around the world and members of the diplomatic corps in Vienna.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Anti-Corruption Excellence Award is an annual international award given in cooperation with the United Nations in recognition of the contributions of His Highness in the fight against corruption and crime at the international level.
