ENG-2003 — Page 398

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a trade-wide conference held for practitioners and training talks conducted for around 5 000 tourist guides. In addition, a practical guide on ethical management for managers and a self-learning training package for front-line employees were also produced.

Youth education remained a priority area in the work programme of the department. Positive values were promoted among young people through the mass media, the Internet, interactive drama performance and family-based programmes and activities. In 2003, a combined youth summit and study programme entitled 'Corporate Governance for the New Generation' project was organised, attracting hundreds of tertiary students from Singapore, the Mainland, Macau and Hong Kong. During the year, education campaigns were launched to promote clean elections for the Village Representative, Rural Committee, Heung Yee Kuk and District Council elections. Apart from conducting 44 briefing sessions to help candidates, election agents and helpers understand the provisions of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance, a 24-hour election hotline was also set up to handle related enquiries. In addition, a series of 66 roving exhibitions, a poster campaign and information booklets were also launched to promote the 'Clean Elections' message. In media publicity, the department produced a 10-part TV spot series to raise the transparency of its work. Another six-episode series to recount Hong Kong's anti- graft history through the numerous TV commercials produced since the ICAC's inception was broadcast on the infotainment channel on buses.

International Cooperation

The ICAC maintains regular operational liaison with other overseas law enforcement agencies. During the year, it received 279 visitors from law enforcement agencies and other organisations from various countries.

The ICAC and Interpol joined hands to host a three-day international anti- corruption conference, entitled 'Partnership Against Corruption', in Hong Kong in January. The conference was attended by more than 500 local, Mainland and overseas delegates from 61 jurisdictions and eight international organisations. ICAC officers also attended overseas conferences and forums including the 11th International Anti- Corruption Conference and the 3rd Global Forum on 'Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity', both held in Seoul. With Hong Kong having endorsed in April_the_ADB/OECD Anti-Corruption Action Plan for Asia-Pacific, the ICAC's Commissioner and the Director of Administration attended the Steering Group meeting of the Action Plan in Kuala Lumpur in December, to report on Hong Kong's anti-corruption initiatives.

Cross-boundary Liaison

Cooperation between the ICAC and the Mainland anti-corruption authorities has become increasingly important with growing social and economic ties between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

The Mutual Case Assistance Scheme established to enable the ICAC and the Mainland procuratorate authorities to assist each other in interviewing voluntary witnesses in connection with corruption investigations continued to operate efficiently. Under the scheme, ICAC investigators visited the Mainland on 25 occasions to meet witnesses willing to assist in investigations while Mainland officers visited Hong Kong for the same purpose on 47 occasions during the year.