Integrity Me – “Sống Liêm Chính” is a communication contest for young people who are passionate about communications and determined to overcome new challenges in communications. With their creativity, Integrity Me contestants will encourage young people to start acting with integrity, honesty and responsibility at the personal level.
Why does the contest Integrity Me matter?
Almost on a daily basis, news ranging from bankers sentenced for financial scandals to cheating in university examinations, hundreds of people joining the looting of a capsized beer truck, high-profile music contests making unauthorised use of other artists’ songs, and footballers fixing their own club’s matches appear to show that unethical behavior is widespread .
More than 60% of parents admit that they used money or relationships to register their children in desired schools (Global Corruption Report 2012).
In 2013, 30% of Vietnamese citizens reported that they had paid a bribe in basic interactions with key public sectors (Global Corruption Barometer 2013).
60% of Vietnamese citizens say that they think ordinary people can make a difference against corruption (Global Corruption Barometer 2013).
On an individual level, the consequences of acting without integrity can be small, or even beneficial in the short term. In the long term however, lack of integrity today can have severe consequences for individuals. For the community as a whole, the lack of integrity of its members on a personal level is generally harmful.
Acting with personal integrity therefore depends on placing one’s values, one’s long-term objectives and respect for others over short-term gain.
Acting with integrity can be genuinely difficult as one person, but it is the right thing to do. Basing on this belief, TT has collaborated with SAGE to run the contest Integrity Me – Sống liêm chính.
“Integrity, honesty and responsibility are fundamental values of a healthy society. Trust, friendship, partnership and family are grounded on these. Honesty and integrity bring about true knowledge and competency that help individuals grow up confidently in study and career. Personal integrity also contributes to making our society more transparent and fair, our public service more effective and our companies more competitive.”
Đào Thị Nga, Executive Director, Towards Transparency (TT)
Why the contest Integrity Me focus on young people?
According to Youth Integrity Survey in Vietnam, almost all young people said that honesty, respect for the laws and integrity is more important than wealth and success gained through immoral ways.
However, in specific situations – such as when accessing health care, facing delays in or difficulties in dealing with the public administration, obtaining good grades or entry into school or university, it can be extremely hard to uphold strong moral standards.
Therefore, the dual challenge for the contestants of this contest is:
- Developing a convincing communications message and campaign proposal to communicate a positive message of integrity to a potentially skeptical audience to communicate why – for a young individual – it makes sense to act with integrity.
- Communicating a difficult and sometimes sensitive subject in ways that do not offend or anger others.
“Vietnamese youth are considered to be smart and creative in their country and overseas. They will find out ways to live integrity. Young people will come up with ideas to operate things smoothly without ‘envelop culture’.”
Mdm. Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh, member of the judge panel of the contest speaking in the launching of Integrity Me on 14 October 2014 at Grand Hotel, Hochiminh City
The final results and the champion
After the first round, 6 best teams were selected to go to the second round and implement their communications project. In the finale on 31 December, 2015, team TOF with the project Integrity Journey won convincingly with the message “Integrity comes from the belief inside us – that good things do exist”. Believing that “no money can buy belief”, TOF set for themselves an additional challenge of implementing the project with zero budget.
Read more about the “Integrity Journey” of TOF and about the finale.
Judges and Coaches
Judges
Mdm. Tôn Nữ Thị Ninh
Vice President of Vietnam Peace Committee
President of Peace &Development Fund in Hochiminh City
Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam in the European Union
Former Deputy of Foreign Department of Vietnam National Assembly
Ms. Tạ Bích Loan
Head of Youth Department
VTV6 – Vietnam Television
Ms. Đào Thị Nga
Executive Director
Towards Transparency
Mr. Đặng Hoàng Giang
Deputy Director
Center of Community Support Development (Cecodes)
Mr. Nguyễn Thanh Sơn
Founder and Director of SAGE
General Director T&A Ogilvy Public Relations
Coaches
Mr. Nguyễn Tiến Huy
Executive Director, MVV Digital
Ms. Trần Thị Thảo
Executive Director, VnBrandMaker
Ms. Nguyễn Thị Linh Thảo
Founder, Creative Entrepreneur Network
Mr. Huỳnh Phước Nghĩa
Senior Advisor, GIBC
Mr. Nguyễn Hải Triều
Tổng Giám đốc YouthNet Media
Ms. Thiên Bảo
Executive Director, PR Hoa Cúc Xanh