Thursday 24 October 2024
Location: Auditorium, Main Building (2nd floor), Fabianinkatu 33 & Online
There is a limited number of seats available to the event. Please register via the link below.
Schedule (subject to change; see descriptions below)
12:00–12:15 Opening ceremony
12:15–13:15 Leo Mechelin Keynote Lecture
13:30–14:30 Panel discussion: Strong Institutions and the Rule of Law
14:45–15:45 Panel discussion: Evidence-based Ways to Curb Corruption
16:00–17:00 Networking event in the lobby
Registration to the event is open and is required for participation in person and online. Participation is free. All registered online participants will receive a link to follow the live stream close to the event.
In 2022, the Rule of Law Centre at the University of Helsinki, in collaboration with the Leo Mechelin Foundation, announced a new, annual Leo Mechelin Keynote Lecture as part of the Rule of Law Day programme. The Board of the Rule of Law Centre and the Board of the Leo Mechelin Foundation jointly award the Leo Mechelin Medal of Honour to a distinguished proponent of the rule of law and nominate them as the Leo Mechelin Keynote Lecturer.
The 2024 Leo Mechelin Keynote Lecturer is the internationally renowned political scientist and expert on good governance, Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, professor at the Italian LUISS University and director of the European Research Centre for Anti-Corruption and State-Building (ERCAS). In addition to her distinguished academic career, Professor Mungiu-Pippidi has served in various expert roles for different EU institutions, and her recommendations for promoting good governance have been recognized in many countries.
Her book, The Quest for Good Governance (Cambridge University Press, 2015), explores why some societies succeed in eradicating corruption to the point where it becomes rare, while others remain systematically corrupt. How do societies reach a stage where integrity is the norm, and corruption is the exception in public administration and the distribution of shared resources?
Mungiu-Pippidi’s latest monograph, Europe’s Burden: Promoting Good Governance across Borders (Cambridge University Press, 2020), examines why many of the EU's initiatives for promoting good governance and fighting corruption have not yielded the desired outcomes, particularly in its external relations.
The first-ever Leo Mechelin Medal of Honour, 2022, was awarded to Professor Emeritus of Jurisprudence, Kaarlo Tuori. From 1998 until his retirement in 2022, Professor Tuori was a member and a long-time Vice-President of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe (officially the European Commission for Democracy through Law). The Commission's Rule of Law Checklist has become an important source for the rule of law in Europe and beyond. In Finland, Professor Tuori is known especially for his long-term expertise on the Constitutional Law Committee, his membership in several constitutional reform committees, and his significant academic career spanning over 50 years at the University of Helsinki.
In 2023, Professor James A. Robinson, the internationally esteemed economist and political scientist at the University of Chicago, was awarded the Leo Mechelin Medal of Honour. Professor Robinson is well known for his wide-ranging research in the social sciences and extensive publications on economic and political differences between nations. His works co-authored with Daron Acemoglu, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012) and The Narrow Corridor: States, Society and the Fate of Liberty (2019), examine the relationship between institutions, political power and economic inequality, claiming that participatory political and economic institutions are a prerequisite for welfare and the rule of law. Robinson is known as a tireless defender of good governance, democracy and participatory institutions. Before his appointment at the University of Chicago, Robinson carved out a significant career at, among others, Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley.
This panel will explore the critical role of institutions in upholding the rule of law, democracy, and human rights, while addressing the dangers posed by corruption, impunity, and public mistrust when institutional frameworks falter. Discussion will focus on the link between institutional strength and economic growth, and the common challenges—such as conflicts, climate change, and global crises—that hinder the development of robust governance. Experts will also examine strategies for reforming institutions in states with weak governance and the crucial role academia plays in supporting the rule of law and institutional integrity.
Panellists:
The discussion will be moderated by journalist Krista Taubert.
This panel will delve into practical, evidence-based strategies for curbing corruption through strong legal frameworks, including constitutional safeguards and political finance regulations. Panelists will explore the importance of electoral integrity, civil society engagement, and the role of free media in promoting transparency. Drawing on case studies and regional examples, the discussion will highlight the design and implementation of effective anti-corruption policies. Additionally, the critical contributions of academia, free media, and civil society in sustaining accountable governance will be examined.
Panellists:
The discussion will be moderated by journalist Krista Taubert.