Money Week 2026
16 – 22 March 2026

“Smart Money Talks! – 100-Year National Currency!”

Theme announced by the OECD: “Smart Money Talks!”

The Albanian Association of Banks (AAB), in cooperation with the Bank of Albania and with the support of the Ministry of Education and the Albanian Deposit Insurance Agency, as well as other partners, will celebrate Money Week 2026 from 16 to 22 March 2026 under the slogan “Smart Money Talks! – 100-Year National Currency!”.

Participating institutions and organizations:
• Bank of Albania
• Ministry of Education
• Albanian Deposit Insurance Agency
• Schools and Universities

Participation:
With the involvement of 4,700 children and young people from across the country and more than 190 schools at all levels, as well as universities.

Money Week 2026 was inaugurated on 17 March 2026 with a ceremony held at the premises of the Bank of Albania, under the motto “Smart Money Talks! – 100 Years of National Currency!”, marking the 100th anniversary of the Albanian national currency.

The ceremony was organized within the framework of Global Money Week, an initiative held for the 12th consecutive year, promoting financial education and awareness of the importance of money management from an early age, thereby contributing to the development of a healthy financial culture in Albania.

The event was addressed by Mr. Gent Sejko, Governor of the Bank of Albania, Mr. Spiro Brumbulli, Secretary General of the Albanian Association of Banks, and Ms. Herida Duro, Deputy Minister of Education, who emphasized the importance of financial education for societal well-being and for preparing young people for future challenges.

The event continued with the award ceremony for the winners of five competitions organized by the Bank of Albania and the Albanian Association of Banks on the occasion of Money Week. These competitions were supported by member banks of the AAB.

The competition for third-grade students, “Draw Your Own Banknote – 100 Years of National Currency,” received over 475 drawings submitted by students from 75 primary schools, from which 10 winners were selected. The competition was supported by ProCredit Bank Albania.

The “Best Project” competition for fourth-grade students on the topic “100 Years of National Currency” received a total of 52 projects, prepared by approximately 1,500 students from 43 primary schools. The competition was supported by Credins Bank.

The meme competition for eighth-grade students, “Smart Money Talks!”, received a total of 120 memes, created by students from 60 primary schools. The competition was supported by the National Commercial Bank (BKT).

The best video competition for high school students, “Smart Money Talks!”, involved 175 students from 40 high schools, with 82 submitted works. The competition was supported by Union Bank.

The “Best Essay” competition on the topic “From the Franga and Lek of 1926 to Digital Money: How does money change and what remains unchanged?” received 58 submissions, prepared by students from 13 public and private universities across the country. The competition was supported by Tirana Bank.

The Albanian Association of Banks (AAB), together with the members of its Auxiliary Committee on Payments, Cards, Digitalization and Alternative Channels and the Human Resources Committee, delivered open lectures at 3 universities in Tirana.

The discussions focused on key topics such as the role of banks in supporting the economy, building long-term relationships with clients, providing tailored solutions, the main developments in the banking industry, as well as employment prospects and professional development opportunities within the sector.

AAB organized open lectures at three private universities, engaging approximately 175 students.

AAB was present at the following universities:

  • POLIS University – with the participation of Ms. Xhilda Shehu, Head of Mass Clients Department, Retail Division, at Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania;
  • University of New York Tirana – with the participation of Ms. Edlira Zambaku, Director of Human Resources at Banka Kombëtare Tregtare;
  • EPOKA University, Tirana – with the participation of Ms. Elona Labinoti, Chief Operating Officer at Fibank Albania.

Within the framework of Global Money Week, on 19 March 2026, the Albanian Association of Banks, in cooperation with German Sparkassenstiftung Albania, organized an educational activity with the graduating students of “Sami Frashëri” High School.

The activity was held at the premises of Tirana Business University, where the students took part in the “Savings Game”, an interactive and practical exercise that challenged them to make smart decisions regarding personal financial management.

Through realistic scenarios and everyday situations, participants had the opportunity to better understand the importance of saving, financial planning, and the responsible management of income and expenses.

The European Money Quiz is being held for the ninth time as a Europe-wide competition aimed at improving the financial literacy of students aged 13–15. Over the years, the quiz has involved thousands of children from 30 European countries.

The competition is conducted in two stages. The first stage includes the national competition for 8th and 9th grade students, who compete online during a livestream event on the Kahoot! platform. The national-level competition is organized by the Albanian Association of Banks, with the support of the Bank of Albania and the Deposit Insurance Agency (ASD), and is approved by the Ministry of Education.

The National Final was held on 26 March 2026 at 13:30, via livestream on the AAB YouTube channel.

In the second (European) stage, the winning team will represent Albania in the European Money Quiz Final, which will take place on 18–19 May 2026 in Brussels, with physical participation.

Opening Ceremony of Money Week 2026

Open Lectures at Universities

Savings Game

National Final of the Money Quiz 2026