Kyiv, Ukraine, 5-6 December 2024 – In December 2024, Kyiv became a hub of ideas and energy as it hosted the finals of the StreetLaw Fest 2024 competition, under the theme “Building integrity in business and governance through legal education for youth”. The competition was designed for students to demonstrate their knowledge of integrity and anti-corruption issues by making presentations to a judging panel. This event was held in commemoration of International Anti-Corruption Day 2024, supported by the UNODC Programme Office in Ukraine within the framework of the Global Action for Business Integrity project.
Street law is a global initiative that empowers law students to teach practical legal knowledge and civic education to various communities, guided by the principle of ‘learning while teaching’. In the finals of the StreetLaw Fest 2024 competition in Ukraine, students acquired knowledge of integrity and anti-corruption issues by being taught by experts in the field and then teaching it to each other in groups.
To participate in the finals, the student teams had to complete several tasks including: developing a lesson concept, preparing graphic products (such as presentations, posters, infographics, and educational cards), and preparing educational videos and games. The materials developed each covered one of ten topics given to each team randomly, all concerning business integrity, ethics, and anti-corruption. Before the finals, they had to conduct a pilot lesson using these materials for school students in their cities.
UNODC’s participation helped to ensure that the teams’ products were of high-quality and meaningful by involving anti-corruption experts in Ukraine, including representatives of national anti-corruption agencies, compliance officers of leading enterprises, teachers, and scientists in the StreetLaw Fest 2024 judging panel.
Ten teams successfully made it to the finals, which were held over two days. On the first day, students were asked to present their interactive videos or games to their competitors and judges. The submissions ranged from animations to chatbot-enabled games and custom websites. Despite their diverse formats, the judges evaluated them uniformly, focusing on clarity, thematic relevance, and the achievement of educational goals.
The second day of the finals required teams to conduct another lesson, this time at the Kyiv Lyceum No. 304. They had 45 minutes to deliver the core ideas of their lesson and engage the students to participate in discussions and activities using the educational materials the teams had developed. The teams had to adapt to a power outage at the school – an additional challenge with no Internet access, multimedia tools, or ways to display their presentations. This tested their ability to improvise as those who managed to stay composed and quickly adapt turned the challenge into an opportunity to showcase their creativity and resourcefulness.
The judging panel, composed of members from across the anti-corruption community in Ukraine, reassessed the teams based on the earlier criteria whilst considering the unforeseen circumstances. They determined the winners of the finals to be team “Chinazes Gang” (from the Practical Law Legal Clinic of the Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University, Vinnytsia). Their project translates as ‘Exposing corruption and dishonesty’. The team was rewarded with the opportunity to participate in a two-week internship at a local law firm in 2025.
Another prize for the category of ‘Best Educational Video or Interactive Game’ went to the team “Klinitsysty” (from the Legal Clinic of the Law School of the Ukrainian Catholic University, Lviv). Speaking of her experience in completing the second challenge, Klinitsysty team member Nadiia Horodyska said: “The kids’ enthusiasm helped us overcome our initial nervousness, and we were able to explain the topic clearly. We’re thrilled they found the lesson valuable and applicable to their lives.” The materials developed by the finalist teams will soon be made available to the public here.
Alongside the competition and finals, the event featured opportunities for students to attend two expert workshops. One workshop guided participants through key challenges in the work of an anti-corruption prosecutor in Ukraine and strategies to overcome them. The other shared investigative journalism experiences in exposing corruption schemes, demonstrating how the fight against corruption extends beyond legal professionals to anyone willing to uncover and publicize wrongdoing.
