The Money Week is the global money celebration, which purpose is to raise awareness among the young generation to become responsible future citizens, able to make well-informed financial decisions.
On March 12 -18, 2018 the Money Week was launched in Albania, under the motto “Money matters, matter!”. The activities were organised in cooperation with the Bank of Albania (BoA) and with the support of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, the Albanian Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA), Junior Achievement (JA), National Youth Service (NES), schools, public and non-public universities, etc. with the participation of:
5000 children and young people
55 secondary schools
14 high schools
8 universities
14 cities
The launching ceremony on the occasion of the Money Week was held at the Bank of Albania Museum facilities, where Mr. Gent Sejko and the Chairman of the Albanian Association of Banks, Mr. Silvio Pedrazzi, in their welcoming speech, among others highlighted the mission of the Money Week and the importance of the financil culture for the the broad public, and particularly for the young generations.
Following the opening address, the ceremony continued with the award of the three contests announced one month ago by BoA and AAB. Governor Sejko and the Chairman of AAB, Mr. Pedrazzi, together with other general managers of commercial banks who sponsored the awards of the contest winners, handed over the prices and took photos with the awarded students.
- Contest for class VI 9-year schools students, by introducing projects on “Money matters, matter!”, supported by Raiffeisen Bank Albania.
- Contest “BestVideo” for high scholl students on the topic “Money matters, matter!”, supported by ABI Bank.
- Contest on Best Essay on the topic “Does the use of euro constitute a risk in trade transactions in Albania?”, supported by Societe Generale Albania Bank.
Visit at BoA Museum and public lecture dedicated to class VI students of “Jeronim De Rada” 9-year school on the topic “Money matters, matter!”.
Visit to a branch of commercial bank
ProCredit Bank organised a visit for the students of a high school to one of its banches build according to the principle “Zone 24/7”. These students were specifically introduced to innovative banking services and were informed on the advantages of automating banking services to its customers.
Union Bank welcomed the children of the staff at school age, with the aim to provide the younger generation with the basic banking and savings principles. During the activity, these schoolchildren visited the headquarters of Union Bank, where they were infroduced to the basic procedures and the principal products and services of the Bank.
Public lecture at Epoka University, Tirana delivered by Ms. Olta Manjani, Chief Specialist with the Monetary Policy Department of the Bank of Albania, on “Monetary System and the role of the Bank of Albania in preserving it” and Mrs. Suela Totokoci, Director of the Treasury Department, Intesa Sanpaolo Albania Bank, on the topic ” Role of banks in communicating monetary policy. Use of domestic currency”.
Public lecture at the Bank of Albania on “The Importance of Financial Culture for Young Entrepreneurs and for Personal Wellfare “. The lecture was held by Mr. Dritan Mezini, General Director of DM Consulting and Duapunë.com portal, who addressed to a public audience mainly consisting of young students and entrepreneurs, aiming to raise awareness on the importance of financial culture as part of their overall education and considering it as the key to entrepreneurial success.
Junior Achievement organized a version of International Trade Game, at the premises of Protik center conference room, with the participation of 30 students (17-18 years old) from Tirana. The students were divided into teams composed of five people representing a single “country”. Countries were classified by income level (high, middle and low) and competed with one another to “produce” paper shapes (circles, triangles, squares, etc.) for the purpose of selling them to a trader operating in the international market, with prices varying based on demand and supply. The winning team was awarded based on the profit collected.
Public lecture, in cooperation with the National Youth Service on the topic “Think for Tomorrow”, by Ms. Najada Xhaxha, Head of Payment Department at Tirana Bank and Head of the AAB Payments System Committe, with the topic “Financial Culture on Personal Income” and Mrs. Gentiana Duka, Head of Personal & Consumer Retail Banking Products, Alpha Bank Albania, on the topic “Soft loans for students”. The event was held at the premises of the Regional Youth Center of Tirana with the participation of high school students.
Visit to BoA Museum and lectures for primary school students of the 9-year elementary school “Servete Maçi” on the topic “Money matters, matter!”
Public lecture at “Aleksandër Xhuvani” University, Elbasan from Juna Bozdo, Head of Systemic Risk Assessment, Financial Stability Department, Bank of Albania, on “Financial Stability, the Role of the Bank of Albania in the Preservation and De-Euroization Package “; Artiola Agalliu, Manager of Risk Management Department at Union Bank, on the topic “The Role of the Bank and Financial Stability”; and Marilda Shkurti from the Albanian Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) on “Financial Stability, the role of deposit insurance schemes in maintaining financial stability”.
Public Lecture at “Aleksandër Moisiu University” in Durres, by Ela Golemi, Member of the Supervisory Council of the Bank of Albania and Vice Dean of the Economics and Business Faculty at “Aleksandër Moisiu University”, Durrës, on “The importance of using our national currency contributing to the country’s sustainable economic development” and Joarda Mema, Head of Products and Segments Development Unit at Credins Bank, on “Retail Banking Activity: Loan Deposits in Domestic Currency “.
European Money Quiz
AAB becomes part of the European competition, which is organized for the very first time in 2018, aiming to enhance the financial culture for children aged 13 to 15 years old. (banner placed on the website).
Public lecture at the premises of UET by Ms. Ediola Biçaku, Head of Internal Audit Department at Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania, on “Internal Audit in the Banking Sector and Future Challenges “.
Public lecture at Protik Innovation Center, for high school students in Tirana and students from various universities country wide, by Linda Shomo, CEO & founder of EasyPay, on “Electronic Money and Payments in 2020”. In addition to this public, interactive lecture, the activity continued with a short quiz aiming to test young people’s financial knowledge.
On March 12, the Bank of Albania opened the Money Week for 2018. The activity was welcomed by the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Mr. Gent Sejko, and the AAB Chairman, Mr. Silvio Pedrazzi.
In his welcoming speech, Governor Sejko stressed the commitment of the Bank of Albania to financial education initiatives through the implementation of educational programs and the development of textbooks dedicated to primary and secondary education.
He also underlined the motto of the activity “Money Matters Matter” which emphasizes the importance of financial issues. Governor Sejko added that beyond the message the bank wants to convey, it evaluates the inspiration, authenticity and active thinking, as the most effective way to absorb such a tangible subject as finance.
The AAB Chairman, Mr. Silvio Pedrazzi during his speech stressed that children and youth need to receive the knowledge and develop skills to make smart financial decision throughout life. Through many activities to take place during this week, ranging from classroom sessions to visits in banks and lectures with banks’ experts, all seeking to improve financial literacy through better financial education. This year is a special one, because for the first time AAB is joined the initiative of European Banking Federation to participate at the European Money Quiz.
The activity continued with the awards ceremony for the winners of the three first contests organized by the Bank of Albania and the Albanian Association of Banks on the occasion of the Money Week.
The first competition was “Money Matters Matter!”, attended by pupils of the 6th grade of the 9-year schools, with creative projects, like drawing, which clearly convey their concept of money management. Raiffeisen Bank sponsored this contest.
The second contest organized was the best video. High school students were invited to convey their messages on the subject “Money Matters Matter ” through a video of no longer than 2 min. The American Bank of Investments sponsored this contest.
The third contest was the best essay on “Use of the euro in commercial purpose’ transactions” transactions in Albania”. The bank Societe Generale Albania sponsored the contest.
GALLERY
