“Be honest, be great!” Anti-Corruption Day around the world

9 December is International Anti-Corruption Day. Rachel Beddow, online communications intern at Transparency International, picks out some highlights from around the world.

According to UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon, corruption may marginalise people, but it will not silence them. As the world celebrates Anti-Corruption Day, Transparency International is speaking out against corruption worldwide.

Bus in Mauritius

There is going to be poetry in Fiji, a marching band in Liberia, and theatre in the Solomon Islands. In Lithuania, people are heading down onto the streets armed with envelopes to protest against corrupt back-handers.

In Trinidad and Tobago, a dancing flash mob will be flooding into an undisclosed location, activists in Mauritius will be tagging buses with anti-corruption slogans, and advocates in Venezuela will be showcasing their entries for the best anti-corruption cartoon.

Transparencia Mexicana came up with the innovative idea of creating an “Integrity font”, a new typographical family designed to show people’s commitment to integrity. Designed by typographer Oscar Yañez, the font will be released in 2012.

Student Integrity Week

Over in China, it is the closing day of Student Integrity Week. Gathering together almost 190,000 Chinese students, the programme mixed lectures with painting contests, film screenings and quiz competitions.

Speak Fest

Transparency International Indonesia has a clear message for the young participants of the national art and music festival Speak Fest – “Berani jujur, hebat!”, or “be honest, be great!”.

Through propaganda video workshops, e-wallpaper competitions and debating contests, Speak Fest shows young people how to use media to vocalise their demands for integrity and accountability

Transparency International Lebanon recently issued a different demand to its members. As part of the Time to Wake Up campaign, it called on them to “run for transparency” in the Beirut Marathon.

Beirut Marathon

Following their lead, advocates in Liberia will be hosting a sports tournament in Buchanan’s high schools.

In Egypt, a media roundtable will bring together activists, media representatives and independent experts to discuss corruption.

As the day comes to a close, cinemas around the world will be screening messages of protest, defiance and hope. Switzerland will be hosting its short film competition, and the Solomon Islands will be showing a selection of material from national chapters worldwide.

Participación Ciudadana in the Dominican Republic asked young people to create a one minute video showing their vision of a world without corruption. They will be announcing the winners today. Transparencia por Colombia, which will present its report on prosecuting corruption later today, is also on the hunt for a one minute film to be used as its 2012 campaign video.