Elena A. Panfilova

General Director, Center for Anti-corruption Research and Initiative Transparency International – Russia

“I always wished for a book like this: a book about where Transparency International came from, how we all became a part of it, what we stand for and what we all are doing to make our dreams come true.

There is a big need for this story in our society – in Russia these days: because Frank Vogl’s book shows that everything is possible, that civic activism has a chance to push through even the hardest of agendas, that there are heroes among us such as TI’s founders, who decided to make a difference and here we are – TI chapters now actively work all over the globe; more and more people are joining our cause; and, governments in more and more countries are putting anti-corruption at the top of their agenda.

I plan to buy many copies of this book and give it to my students, to my colleagues, to people in government and in business – I will give it to all those who lost hope, who think that David of civic activism is too weak to confront the Goliath of injustice, poverty and corruption. This book proves that this is simply not true.”