International Anti-corruption Day was launched on October 9th 2003 by the General Assembly of the United Nations as a way of raising awareness of corruption and highlighting the role of the United Nations Convention against Corruption in combating and preventing it. The official reason given by the UN for creating this day is that it was “concerned about the seriousness of problems and threats posed by corruption to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, ethical values and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development and the rule of law”.