Towards Transparency and the EU launch a project to Empower Vietnamese Youth to Build a Culture of Integrity

PRESS RELEASE

On the occasion of International Anti-corruption Day, the European Union and Towards Transparency launch a three-year project that aims to empower Vietnamese Youth Leaders to build a culture of Integrity.

With financial support from the Partnership Instrument of the European Union (EU), the project titled “Youth Leaders of Integrity for a more Transparent Vietnam (LIFT VIETNAM)” will promote the shared value of integrity and empower Vietnamese youth to be actors of change in their communities.

The EU and Towards Transparency are partnering to empower young people in Vietnam to play an active role in the fight against corruption. The three-year project with a total budget of 333,333 EUR will deliver actions to enhance the knowledge of young people on integrity. It will provide exchanges of experience between young people from Vietnam and the EU, and foster youth initiatives to promote integrity in local communities in Vietnam. To that end, the project will also further expand Towards Transparency’s Vietnam Integrity School to reach more Vietnamese youth and organize the first Youth Integrity Forum in the country.

“Integrity is an essential value for the European Union and this project is centered around it. We firmly believe that this initiative will contribute to enhanced understanding and visibility of the EU among young people in Vietnam and the promotion of EU principles and values. This will be possible thanks to exchanges among youth in Vietnam and from the EU, as well as activities aimed at building capacity and raising awareness about the value of integrity” said H.E. Giorgio Aliberti, EU Ambassador, the host of the roundtable.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Vien, Founder and Executive Director of Towards Transparency, added: “We believe in a power of education for positive change. Integrity is a shared value across different cultures and is a learned behaviour. What youth need is an effective integrity education program to help strengthen their personal integrity and an enabling space to take actions to promote integrity in local communities in Vietnam. We seek to achieve this goal through this project”.

The event also offered a space for Vietnamese youths and CSOs to share their stories of change as a result of their anti-corruption journeys and efforts in the country. The event was joined by supporters of youth integrity, notably Ambassadors from EU Member States, youth leaders, representatives from development partners, CSO, and academia.

Background

According to the Towards Transparency 2019 Youth Integrity Survey, while 80% of Vietnamese young people believe that they have a role to play in fighting corruption, engaging youth in the fight against corruption remains a challenge in Vietnam. Many young people lack information and education on integrity, as well as an enabling environment to take action to promote this important value.

Contact for Press:

Nguyen Manh Chinh (Mr.)

Communications Officer, Towards Transparency

Email: [email protected]