Vienna, Austria – December 9, 2016:  Today in Vienna at the Hofburg Palace, organisations, individuals and groups from Europe, Asia, North and South America and Africa, were recognised at the inaugural Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Anti-Corruption Excellence Awards. To coincide with International Anti-Corruption Day, the winners were presented their awards by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar. 

The annual Awards were inaugurated at a ceremony and acknowledged outstanding contributions and strides towards the prevention of and the fight against corruption around the world, including the impeachment of two national leaders in North America and Europe.

After a long and thorough selection process, the high-level award committee with recommendation from the assessment advisory board, chose seven recipients across all four categories, including: Anti-Corruption Innovation, Anti-Corruption Academic Research, Anti-Corruption Youth Creativity and Anti-Corruption Lifetime Achievement.

To celebrate the inaugural Awards and International Anti-Corruption Day, a commissioned sculpture by Ahmed Al Bahrani, a contemporary Iraqi artist and sculptor, was unveiled at the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV).