UNAFEI
16th UNAFEI UNCAC TRAINING PROGRAMME
CLOSING CEREMONY (November 12, 2013)

FAREWELL SPEECH
Vladimir Aras, M. Sc. (Federal Prosecutor, Brazil)

Honorable Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Mr. Hisanao NODA, Deputy Director General, TIC, JICA;
Ms. Tomoko AKANE, Director of UNAFEI,
Mr. Kenichi KIYONO, Deputy Director of UNAFEI,
JICA Staff Members,
Faculty and Staff Members of UNAFEI,ACPF Members,
Distinguished Guests,
Fellow Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

American Professor Ray L. Huntington once said and I quote: “May we have hearts that can feel, ears

that can hear, and eyes that can see our blessings and live in continual gratitude toward God andthose around us.”

We felt, we heard, we saw. Now I have the honor to express on behalf of all my fellow participants
our deepest gratitude for having been granted the opportunity to participate in this 16th UNAFEIUNCAC Training Programme.

We extend our sincere appreciation to the Government of Japan, to the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA), UNAFEI and the Asia Crime Prevention Foundation (ACPF), andall the people who have made our participation an unforgettable experience for us. We appreciate verymuch the academic contribution we received from you, which improved our understanding ofcorruption issues and the Japanese Criminal Justice System.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I appreciate the opportunity of being with you today. I would like to take it to convey our profoundand sincere gratitude. This is indeed a very special moment for all of us. We, the participants,experience now a blending of happiness and sadness. We are happy because soon we will meet ourloved ones; but we also are sad, because we will say goodbye to our new friends and family.

JICA and UNAFEI provided us the opportunity to participate in this unique training course. We arewitnesses of the continuous effort you’ve made to organize a really enlightening experience. Besides
our 7 Japanese colleagues, 18 participants from 11 countries gathered here: Algeria (Mr. Touti),
Bangladesh (Mr. Rabbani and Mr. Rahman), Brazil, Cambodia (Mr. Norith), Kenya (Ms. Thinguini,Mr. Gathii, Mr. Kemboi and Mr. Obuo), Myanmar (Mr. Myo Swe and Ms. Khin Myat Tar),
Moldova (Mr. Donciu and Mr. Crismaru), Namibia (Ms. Justine Namukwambi and Mr. Ihalua),Panama (Ms. Jaen-Fernández), Thailand (Mr. Appichai Thongprasom) and Timor-Leste (Mr.
Amaral).

We came from different countries and we have different backgrounds and professional experiences,such as the prosecution, the police, and the judiciary, as well anticorruption agencies. This perfect
blend helped us to broaden our views and enhanced our knowledge about the available approaches totackle corruption issues.

The participants came from different places, but I am sure that, by speaking my heart today, Iexpress the profound appreciation of them all. Japanese kindness, discipline and dedication will bewith us in the Americas, in Africa and in the other Asian countries which are represented here,
because you, JICA and UNAFEI faculty and staff members, showed us what to do to the bettermentof our criminal justice systems, in a warm and friendly manner.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Mr. Mr. Hisanao NODA, Deputy Director General of JICA Tokyo, we want to thank you andJICA staff members for all the support and attention dedicated to us. We appreciate especially Ms.
HISA KEIKO’s commitment to the achievement of the objectives of this training course. Her
presence and skills were essential to the success of this programme.

In the same way, we thank UNAFEI for promoting the training course on a subject so important
nowadays: how to prevent and fight corruption. We know you have made an enormous effort inplanning and to complete this training programme. But you provided us more than learning. You
provided us a warm atmosphere, especially with the loving way you welcomed us in front of thisbuilding, always waving both hands, every time we left for a study trip or a ceremony outside thesepremises. You were also there when we came back, once again, welcoming us whatever the time orthe weather. This would not be possible without a totally devoted and committed team.

Ms. AKANE, your work as the Director of UNAFEI sustained and favored the outstanding
result of this training course. We saw your humbleness and spirit of leadership. Your wisdom andhard work made this 16th UNCAC Training Programme a great success.

In the same way, we thank the Deputy Director, Mr. KIYONO, who also dedicated himself to theprogramme, and joined us in the conference hall, enriching the sessions many times with useful
information. Moreover, Mr. KIYONO delivered a really interesting lecture in October 24th, which
helped us to understand in detail the Japanese Criminal Justice.

We offer our very special thanks to Professor MORIYA, our Programming Officer. You provided all
the information we needed to understand the UNCAC’s requirements and its purpose. You also
played a great role to make our study successful. Your commitment inspired us all. We will miss yourgood mood, fairness and, of course, your expected announcements, which always provided us useful
information about our studies and leisure activities.

Dear Professors HIROSE-san, IWASHITA-san, MIO-san, NAGAI-san, OYAIZU-san,TASHIRO-san, TSUNODA-san, and YOSHIMURA-san, and Linguistic Adviser Mr. THOMAS
SCHMID, we also thank you for your devotion to work. Your supervision and counseling in our
individual presentations and in the group work sessions were fundamental to the improvement of ourunderstanding. Your lectures and teachings were interesting and helpful. Furthermore, you werealways present with us, not only during the training, but sometimes during the joyful Karaoke parties
at lounge B.

Thank you Mr. ANDO, Mr. SUGIYAMA, Mr. TADA, Ms. HICHIGURO, Mr. TOYODA, Mr.
FUKUTA, Ms. SUZUKI, Ms. NISHI, Mr. HAYASAKA, Mr. FURUHASHI, Ms. YAMADA, Mr.
HONDA and Ms. IWAKATA, UNAFEI staff. You provided us a friendly environment to perform
our studies.

Thank you to our tireless and qualified interpreters, YAMAGA-san and others, for their immense
support and cooperation. Without you this international course would not be possible.

Mentioning the name of SAKAI-san, we say thank you also to the entire cafeteria staff. We werepleased to receive their service in a very kind and healthy environment. We had delicious meals,
prepared with care.

Likewise, we thank the Rotary Club of Tokyo/Fuchu branch for receiving us at the Tokyo Horse
Race Course as special guests.

Our sincere thanks also go to the ACPF, which supported many activities that we participated in, as
well as the unforgettable dinner at the Meiji Kinenkan. We really feel indebted to the ACPF
members for their generosity, hospitality and continuous assistance.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Brothers and Sisters,
During this training programme, we had individual presentations that showed us the situation of thefight against corruption in 12 countries. Based on this previous knowledge, we had the groupsessions in which themes related to corruption were discussed and analysed thoroughly, with thepurpose of developing good practices and methods that can enhance the fight against corruption in ournations. Likewise, we had lectures by UNAFEI professors and visiting experts that helped us toknow the Japanese Criminal Justice System and learn about anti-corruption initiatives overseas,
especially in Malaysia, the United Kingdom and in the Hong Kong SAR.

As a part of the same training programme, we visited the Supreme Court, the Tokyo Regional
Taxation Bureau, the Tokyo District Court, Yokohama Customs, the Hiroshima Public
Prosecutor’s Office, the Harima Rehabilitation Program Center and the Kyoto Police
Headquarters.

We were especially touched by the visit to the city where one of the greatest tragedies ofhumankind took place. The Hiroshima Peace Center shows the resilience, the national effort, thedetermination, the discipline, unity and strength of the Japanese people. From the destruction causedby WWII to the current position as a developed nation, you succeeded. By abandoning any eagerness
for revenge, you have strived for the betterment of your nation by discipline, love, respect andsolidarity. Most importantly, the city of Hiroshima engaged in a crusade to make sure that the rest of
the world does not face such atrocity again. Thank you for that.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
As a Brazilian citizen, I also must show my respect and gratitude to all the Japanese migrants who leftthese islands in the beginning of the 20th century on board the KASATO MARU, bound for theharbour of Santos, Brazil. This nation, the “Land of the Rising Sun”, helped to bring more progress to
my country. Now Japan supports us again, by providing specialized training for officials from mycountry and from all over the world. Nihon, your wisdom and teachings, like sun rays, brighten
the world.

Madams and Sirs,I also would like to express our special appreciation and esteem to the seven Japanese participants:
INUKAI-san, ITO-san, KOYAMA-san, NAKABAYASHI-san, SAKAI-san, SATO-san andYAMADA-san. You, my friends, are examples of commitment and fellowship. More thancolleagues, you were brothers and sisters to us. Every day you were by our sides, seeking to do thebest you could to help us in our daily lives at UNAFEI or outside it. You always tried to make iteasier for us living in Japan, not only by answering our questions and explaining your country’s habits,culture and language, but also when we needed to go somewhere. You were our guides to magnificent
places like HAKONE, KAMAKURA and the IMPERIAL PALACE. You always showed concern forour welfare, which goes beyond your position as participants, and in the spirit of the Japanese people,

you showed your disposition to help others; you showed us the real meaning of the word "friend". We
will never forget this, and we will miss you all, always looking forward to meeting you again.

Before coming to Japan, I was used to the Japanese pop culture we frequently see in the movies; tothe Japanese food with all its delicacies; and to the rich and amazing Japanese history, from the olddays of the Samurai to this Heisei Era. But, fortunately for us, the best part of Japan was yet tocome. And it came when we met you, our Japanese friends. Now I know for sure that the best featureof this nation is not its breathtaking landscapes or its marvelous temples and shrines, or its amazingtechnology. The best part of Japan is the Japanese people. You! Thank you for that.

Madams and Sirs,
Forgive my long speech, but it is not a mere formality. We really feel that whatever words of gratitude
we use, they will not be enough to reveal the appreciation we would like to convey.

As the North-American writer Melody BEATTIE once said and I quote:“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns
denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a houseinto a home, a stranger into a friend. . . . Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today,and creates a vision for tomorrow."

Dear colleagues,We will miss these days in Japan. May God bless this wonderful country. I hope for all of us that
we are able to go forth and make a difference in our countries. I hope that each of us is able tocontribute in a way that is helpful to the fight against corruption; and ultimately I am confident that
we will all persevere and succeed because we have been given the tools and the skills to do so.

Our joy and satisfaction is the result of your work, UNAFEI, JICA and ACPF members and staff.
This is why we say again and again, from the very bottom of our hearts: Arigato gozaimasu (Japan).
Muito obrigado (Brazil and Timor-Leste). Thank you very much (Namibia and Kenya). Muchas
gracias (Panama). Merci beaucoup/Shukran (Algeria). Multsumesc (Moldova), Kob kuun krap(Thailand), Dhannabad (Bangladesh), Orkun (Cambodia) and Cè-zù tin-ba-deh (Myanmar).

Ladies and Gentlemen,Let’s recall the inspiring words of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt who said:“We have too muchto do to sit on the sidelines. We need to step out of the gray twilight into the bright sunshine so that
we can all see the dawn of a new day.”A new day of integrity, development, transparency will be soon rising in our nations. We must strivefor that.

As the Chinese philosopher Confucius taught: “What I hear, I forget; what I see, I remember; what
I do, I understand”. We’ve heard what we have to do to fight corruption. We’ve seen what we needto do, and we will not forget. Now is the time to do it, and, together, I am sure we can do it.

At last, this is the end of my speech. But it is not the end of our partnership and endurance. Thanks
to UNAFEI and JICA this is the beginning! Now we are friends. Iroiro osewa-ni narimashita.
Sayonara. Mata ai-mashoo. Thank you.