NEWS

Manage your money, cultivate your future!

The Albanian Association of Banks (AAB), in cooperation with the Bank of Albania and with the support of the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Albanian Deposit Insurance Agency, on March 20-26, 2023, celebrate Money Week 2023, under the slogan “Administrate money yours, cultivate your future!”. During this week, AAB, together with its associates and partners, is engaged in organizing activities aimed at educating the younger generation to make healthy financial plans throughout their lives. Competitions, open lectures, visits and meetings that take place these days in the premises of the Bank of Albania, banks and educational institutions are a small part of the annual work carried out by AAB and all partners in financial education of all age groups.
The opening ceremony of Money Week 2023 was organized in the premises of the Bank of Albania, on March 20, 2023. The activity was greeted by Mr. Gent Sejko, Governor of the Bank of Albania; Ms. Evis Kushi, Minister of Education and Sports; and Mr. Bledar Shella, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Albanian Association of Banks.
In his welcoming speech, Governor Sejko expressed the importance that the Bank of Albania gives to culture and financial inclusion, making it an integral part of its institutional duties. He mentioned the work done in collaboration with the World Bank and all internal partners, for the drafting of the National Strategy of Financial Education and Inclusion (SKEPF), which describes the general principles and objectives of financial education and inclusion.
Minister Kushi emphasized once again the importance of financial education, to form decent citizens by equipping them with the right knowledge. Financial education is treated as a separate subject in the curricula, enabling the practical application of the acquired knowledge.
The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Albanian Association of Banks, Mr. Shella, in his speech, brought to attention the involvement of AAB and banks in joint initiatives and projects and expressed further support for any initiative that will contribute to the improvement of knowledge on money and finance, as a need that brings the time.
The activity continued with the awarding ceremony for the winners of the 5 competitions organized by the Bank of Albania and the Albanian Association of Banks on the occasion of Money Week and previously announced. These competitions were supported by member banks of AAB.

1. The “Best Drawing” contest, in which more than 350 drawings were submitted for competition by students of the 3rd grades from more than 70 9-year schools from all over Albania. The contest was supported by Union Bank.

2. The “Best Project” competition, in which students of 46 4th grades from 38 schools in the country were engaged in dealing with the topic in a physical or interpretive project, through a short video. The competition was supported by ABI Bank.
3. The “Best Photomontage” contest, where 65 students with 61 works, from 50 schools in the country, eighth grade students, analyzed the message of the Money Week theme, through images and captions. The competition was supported by Credins Bank.
4. The “Best Video” contest, in which 69 videos were presented, made by 97 students from 47 secondary schools in the country, the contest was supported by OTP Bank Albania.

5. The best essay competition on the topic “Climate changes – why are they important for the financial sector in Albania?” In this competition, 10 essays from 7 universities in the country were submitted. The winners of the competition, in addition to the symbolic prize, won, thanks to the support of the National Commercial Bank, will be able to complete the teaching practices at this bank.
In addition to competitions and activities in educational institutions, another important activity is the Money Quiz, the national final of which will be held on March 30, 2023, where the winners will be awarded by the Deposit Insurance Agency. Raiffeisen Bank will enable the participation of the winning team of the Money Quiz in the European competition in Brussels on May 16, 2023.