Vienna, Austria, 28-30 October 2025 — In the headquarters of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 22 Anti-Corruption Excellence (ACE) Award winners gathered to explore ways of strengthening cooperation in the fight against corruption and to design a youth mentorship programme alongside five YouthLED Integrity Advisory Board members. These champions, representing the ACE Award categories Lifetime/Outstanding Achievement, Academic Research and Education, Youth Creativity and Engagement, Innovation/Investigative Journalism, and Safeguarding Sports from Corruption Awards, travelled from all around the world, united by one purpose: to reimagine how the world fights corruption.

For three days, participants worked side by side, sharing lived experiences from communities in the Americas to conflict-affected regions of Africa, and from university environments in Europe and Australia to civic movements across Asia. Organized by UNODC through its Global Resource for Anti-Corruption Education and Youth Empowerment (GRACE) initiative, in partnership with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Center (ROLACC), the workshop marked the launch of the ACE Award Winners Dialogue Series.

The workshop explored a collaborative model that combines an intergenerational and whole-of-society approach, where experts and young leaders learn from each other. From the outset, it was clear that corruption looks different depending on gender, region, profession, and socio-economic background. Yet, the participants discovered various common grounds, having integrity as their shared value.

"Corruption is an issue that runs deeper than mere law violations. It is a disregard for moral and ethical values.”- Maria Kresentia & Judhi Kristantini, SPAK Indonesia, Youth Creativity and Engagement Category Winner.

Why Intergenerational Collaboration Matters
ACE Award winners shared how corruption affects entire societies and how their work pushes boundaries.

“Through my research, I try to find and disseminate a scientific explanation of corruption to decipher its complexity and find long-term stable solutions.” - Prof. Miodrag Labovic, Academic Research and Education Category

Other awardees highlighted the risks faced by activists and journalists, particularly in contexts where corruption fuels conflict. Safety, protection, and resilience were also recurring themes. YouthLED Board members brought energy and urgency to the conversation.

“Trust young people; When given resources, visibility, and genuine responsibility, we deliver impact” – Ms. Elisa Orlando

The diversity of perspectives and experiences of all the brilliant minds revealed a powerful truth: corruption is not only a governance challenge; it is a human challenge that demands strong partnerships between generations and across sectors.

A global mentorship framework takes shape
Guided by UNODC and ROLACC, participants started co-designing a youth mentorship programme to pair young changemakers with ACE Award winners. The model emphasizes one-to-one learning, thematic collaboration, and youth-led innovation, while prioritizing safety and accountability with proposed activities such as integrity-themed masterclasses and project-based mentoring and micro-grant support.

From Mejor Mexico, an NGO focusing on countering corruption nationally, Mr. Jorge Mireles emphasized youth agency saying: “We work with young people to find out what they think about corruption… then we encourage them to take action in their communities to build a better Mexico.”

The workshop concluded with a commitment to stay connected, collaborate, and expand integrity education to more young people. The pilot mentorship programme will be presented at the 11th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in Doha, Qatar.