A Model States Parties Anti-Corruption Conference was organised by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) from 15 to 17 March 2016 in the BPML Conference Hall, Ebène. One of the major outcomes of the conference was the adoption of a “Mauritius Resolution” on ‘The promotion of the contribution of young people in preventing corruption and fostering a culture of respect and integrity’. This was a formal statement of a decision/official expression of opinion adopted by the conference during the plenary session. Prior to its adoption, participants’ views and suggestions were sought and included in the document. This process was facilitated by experts from the UNODC.

 

‘Unique, challenging, enriching’. These three words summarised the feelings of Miss A. N. Manjoo and Miss S. Kundasawmy from the Queen Elizabeth College who won the best delegation (Singapore) and best speaker awards for the worldwide premiere Model States Parties Anti-Corruption Conference organized by the ICAC in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In all, some 80 secondary schools and over 250 participants were mobilized in the context of this conference which was held from 15 to 17 March 2016 in the BPML Conference Hall, Ebène.

The delegates of Singapore represented by Queen Elizabeth College won the best delegation award. The Jury Panel comprised high caliber professionals, namely Messrs Jugdish Joypaul and Gilbert Ahnee, media consultants, Sir Victor Glover, former Chief Justice (as Chairperson) and Mrs Claudia Sayago, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer at the Corruption and Economic Branch of the UNODC.

The final result was as follows:

The ‘Best Delegation’ Delegation of Singapore  

Queen Elizabeth College (QEC)

 

The ‘Best Speaker’ Miss Ameera Najlaah Manjoo
The ‘1st Runner-Up’ Delegation of Costa Rica Piton State College
The ‘2nd Runner-Up’ Delegation of Philippines Mahatma Gandhi Secondary School Flacq

Parallel to the conference, six-side events were conducted by high profile resource persons namely, Ms Maria Adomeit, Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Officer at the Corruption and Economic Branch of the UNODC, Professor Thomas H. Speedy Rice from Washington and Lee University, Professor Jamil D. Mujuzi from University of the Western Cape and Chief Inspector Rajeshwar Moosoohur and Caporal Rajcoomar Purryag from Interpol Office, Mauritius.

Based on feedback received, the 3-day conference has proved to be a successful event in terms of the number of registered participants, level of intervention of the speakers, momentum generated at the level of secondary schools and the level of discussions during the side-events. According to the UNODC experts, given the success of the conference, such model will be promoted as an original and meaningful activity which can be replicated in other parts of the world.