Peter Eigen és számos nemzetközi méltóság 1993. május 4-6-án, Berlinben tartott konferencián fektették le a szervezet alapkövét és iktatták be a Transparency Internationalt, mint nemzetközi korrupcióellenes szervezetet. Huguette Labelle, a szervezet elnöke levélben fejezte ki köszönetét ezért a 20 évért.

Dear Colleagues,

Exactly 20 years ago, 4-6 May 1993, Peter Eigen and several dozens of global dignitaries laid the cornerstone in the fight against corruption with the inauguration of Transparency International at a conference in Berlin.

Frustrated by the failure of world leaders to publicly recognise the need to tackle corruption headon, participants decided to turn the tables against secret dealings, bribery and the abuse of power, creating “an international coalition against corruption in international business transactions”.

In the twenty years since, Transparency International’s daily efforts have, as you know, moved far beyond shedding light on business transactions and now include a sweeping public sector efforts aimed at creating transparent governments and accountable leaders, a broad network of advocacy and legal advice centres, agenda-setting research and, last but not least, a presence in more than 100 countries through your hard work, dedication and audacity.

Indeed, on a national level, independent chapters in 107 countries have successfully lobbied for whistle blower protections, access to information laws and other good governance reforms. On the local level the movement’s legal advice centres in more than 60 countries have offered free advice to victims of corruption and have pressed for systemic change. Thanks to our joint efforts, courage and ingenuity, corruption has in the last 20 years gone from a taboo topic to the most-talked about social challenge in the world, with two international agreements (the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, ratified by 40 countries, and the UN Convention against Corruption, ratified by 165) and several regional conventions between governments seeking to stop the scourge of foreign bribery and corruption.

Looking into the next 20 years, we will together pour all our strengths into creating a corruptionfree world where people can both truly hold their leaders to account and not to face the daily denigration of bribery.

I would like to thank all of you for your continuous work for our cause.