Gent Sejko: "Learn. Save. Earn."

Speech by Mr Gent Sejko, Governor of the Bank of Albania, at the launching ceremony of the Global Money Week, Tirana, 27 March 2017.

The views expressed in this speech are those of the speaker and not the view of the BIS.

Central bank speech  | 
04 April 2017

Honourable Minister Nikolla,

Dear AAB Chairman Drougkas,

Dear guests,

I have the pleasure to welcome you at the Bank of Albania premises. In addition to being a second home for its employees, since the opening of the Museum, it has become an attractive learning place about finance for students.

The Global Money Week an event that involves local stakeholders in more than 140 countries is the highlight of all the educational activities conducted throughout the year.

I am proud to say that, thanks to the persistent commitment of the Bank of Albania regarding financial education, Albania has been featuring in the map of countries that organize this Week. This persistence ensures the effectiveness of our educational programmes, and keeps active the connection between institutions engaged in the financial education of the public in general and the youth in particular. I take this opportunity to extend my most sincere gratitude for their commitment and support to the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Albanian Association of Banks, and other institutions present here today.

Under the motto "Learn. Save. Earn.", this year's Global Money Week is dedicated to raising awareness of young Albanians on the importance of money and their involvement in the economic and financial system in Albania and, why not, in the region and the world.

The activities that will be organised during this week will especially aim at inspiring Albanian children and youth to learn more about money, saving, creating prosperity, increasing employment and entrepreneurship.

To illustrate this better, more than 45 activities will be organised and more than 3500 pupils and students will participate in these activities during this very busy week, with educational institutions: universities, high schools and nine-year schools. These numbers make us very proud, since they serve to raise the awareness on highly important issues, such as consumer information and financial inclusion. These two key issues contribute directly the economic well-being of households and businesses. Financial education, especially of youth, is the best channel to put that effect in practice, as affirmed by the OECD, a reputable international institution.

The Bank of Albania is and will remain dedicated to this mission, with the support of the Ministry of Education and other partners. Their support and cooperation have had a decisive contribution in the success of such activities. Also, the elective course "Personal financial in your hands" for high school students has been, for seven years, another example of successful cooperation.

I would like to thank the Albanian Association of Banks for its valuable support through commercial banks to enhance financial education and add channels and related activities in this regard.

In conclusion, let me once again take this opportunity to invite the participating institutions to further expand our collaboration on this pleasant and challenging issue, and an important one for the next generations.