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"With significant symbolism, the Second Phase and the Award Ceremony of the 3rd Panhellenic Student Creativity Competition were held on Monday, January 19, 2026, at the headquarters of the National Transparency Authority (NTA) in Athens. The competition, titled 'Integrity Leaders of Tomorrow', focused on the theme: 'Youth discussing corruption and ways to combat it.'"
A total of 87 high school students participated in the competition. The event was attended by parents and educators, while student participation from regional areas was particularly notable, including representatives from Symi, Rhodes, Crete, Messolonghi, Larissa, Thessaloniki, Kavala, and Alexandroupoli.
The event meaningfully highlighted the voices of young people and their ability to approach complex social issues—such as corruption—with maturity, critical thinking, and a clear value-oriented perspective.
In the final phase of the competition, 20 students from high schools across the country presented their essays —selected during Phase A—to the Evaluation Committee. Following their presentations, participants engaged in a Q&A session with the Committee, where they successfully defended their positions and their arguments.
During the Awards Ceremony, the students who stood out for the quality of their thinking, the clarity of their arguments, and the originality of their approach were announced. All 20 finalists received an Award of Distinction. The three highest-scoring entries were awarded e-book reader devices, while the remaining 17 finalists received gift vouchers for an electronics store. In addition, all participants were provided with informational and educational material developed by the NTA as part of its initiatives to raise awareness among younger generations.
The students who achieved the highest scores were:
- Fanouris Lykotrafitis, student at the 2nd General High School of Messolonghi. In his essay, he highlighted corruption as a phenomenon with tangible consequences, emphasizing that the abuse of power for private gain entails not only financial but also social and human costs.
- Eirini Patesti, student at Ekpaideftiki Anagennisi High School. In her presentation, she posed the question: “What value would you give to a banknote that everyone knows is counterfeit?” in order to illustrate the nature of corruption and the axes through which it develops (social, psychological, and age-related).
- Dimitra Froudarakis, student at the 2nd General High School of Agios Nikolaos, Crete. She approached corruption from a holistic and global perspective, concluding her presentation with a comparative analysis of "petty corruption" (small-scale) and "grand corruption."(grand corruption)
The Evaluation Committee for the second phase consisted of:
- Ilias Kouvaras, Assistant Professor at the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Administrative Judge
- Voula Malla, Journalist at ERT
- Mariza Dekastro, Author, Educator, and Critic
- Vasilis Papagiannis, Head of the NTA Regional Office of Larissa
- Dimitra Tsakalou, Educator, Executive at the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, and Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh
The Governor of the National Transparency Authority, Alexandra Rogkakou, thanked the students for their participation, expressed her sincere appreciation to the educators who encouraged them to take part, and congratulated the parents who instilled in them the values that enabled their creative expression on the issue of corruption. In her closing remarks, she emphasized that both corruption and its eradication are matters of collective concern as well as individual responsibility, essential for addressing the longstanding challenges within society.
The competition is organized every two years by the National Transparency Authority in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports. To date, approximately 2,500 students from schools across Greece have participated. It forms part of a broader series of NTA initiatives aimed at informing and raising awareness among young people on issues of anti-corruption, contributing to the development of active, responsible, and conscientious citizens.
The 4th Panhellenic Student Competition will take place during the 2026–2027 school year.
More information about the 3rd Student Competition can be found at the following link:
https://aead.gr/education/draseis-evesthitopoiisis/apotelesmata-b-fash-3ou-panellhniou-diagonismou-mathitikhs-dhmiourgias
You can watch the event on the National Transparency Authority’s YouTube channel: