Global Money Week – 2022

From 21 to 27 March 2022, the National Bank of Romania (NBR) carried out a series of financial education activities in partnership with the Ministry of Education, under the aegis of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In its 10^th edition, the Global Money Week (GMW) – 2022 project was part of a global awareness-raising campaign on the importance of money, having the theme Build your future, be smart about money! During Global Money Week, NBR representatives from the head office and the territorial network carried out several activities on financial and banking issues, addressed to 20,000 students from 186 educational units (primary, secondary, and high school cycles).

The NBR joined this international campaign as early as 2014. Thus, students had the opportunity to become familiar with topics such as budgeting, financial planning, saving, inflation, currency security features, modern means of payment, etc. This initiative aims to provide financial education to young people and to support them in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to manage money properly, to learn about complex financial products, and, last but not least, to make wise financial decisions.

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Within the project “Let’s talk about money and banks” dedicated to primary, secondary and high school students, NBR lecturers interacted with approximately 78,000 students from 600 educational establishments – primary, secondary, and high schools in Bucharest and countrywide in both urban and rural areas.

Financial education presentations were held primarily online and were, to a great extent, interactive - educational films, discussions, quizzes, worksheets, short stories.

The National Bank of Romania and the partner institutions within the National Cooperation Protocol for Financial Education obtained the accreditation for the only full course “Economic and financial education for teachers”, which targets the teaching staff in secondary education teaching Social Education to eighth graders. Starting with the 2020-2021 school year, financial education has become a mandatory subject for eighth graders, being included in Social Education.

The Romanian Banking Institute (RBI), mandated and supported by the National Bank of Romania, is the provider of the free course accredited by the Ministry of Education, for a 4-year period, by Order 3559/2021 on the accreditation of continuing education programmes.

The NBR carried out, in 2021 too, the OECD-led international educational project Global Money Week from 22 to 26 March 2021. During 5 consecutive days, the NBR message reached over 15,800 students from 194 educational establishments and 650 classes in primary, secondary and high schools.

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Given the situation generated by COVID-19 pandemic, the activities planned within the project “Let’s talk about money and banks” have been reshaped, so they were carried out mainly online.

In 2020, 26.011 people (students and teachers) interacted directly with the central bank’s experts. Lectors of the Financial education department and the central bank’s territorial network developed partnerships with school inspectorates so that as many students as possible may benefit from useful information, despite the inherent difficulties of digital communication. Among the addressed topics: saving, demand and supply, bank deposit, inflation, money security features, money history etc.

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In 2019 too, the “Let’s Talk about Money and Banks” project continued the activities supportive of financial education for high school and secondary school students. In virtue of the Cooperation Protocol signed with the Ministry of National Education, NBR representatives from the head office and territorial offices organised and carried out activities at central and regional level. The focus of this project continued to be the direct interaction with youths and children in rural areas.

The activities carried out on the premises of the NBR or of educational establishments included making presentations and video projections related to the activity, functions and history of the central bank, the history of money and of the national currency, explaining basic economic and financial concepts such as credit, deposit, inflation, as well as watching educational videos, with a focus on notes and coins in circulation and their security features. In addition, participants visited the NBR Museum, the Museum of NBR Treasure in Tismana Monastery, the State Mint, the Processing Centre of the Bucharest Regional Branch, as well as the territorial offices of the NBR.

Topics on economics and saving, macroeconomic imbalances and the limits to the central bank’s activity were discussed in conferences held at the “Ștefan cel Mare” National College in Hârlău, the “Ienăchiță Văcărescu” National College in Târgoviște, the NBR agency in Argeș county and the “Frații Buzești” National College in Craiova.

In 2019, more than 47,850 pupils from almost all counties participated directly in all these activities, of which 23,760 pupils from rural areas, a greater frequency being noted during the projects “Școala altfel” and Global Money Week.

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The NBR continued in 2018 the activities supportive of financial education for high school and secondary school students based on the Cooperation Protocol signed with the Ministry of National Education. A particularity of this project continued to be the direct interaction with the youth and children in rural areas.

The “Let’s Talk about Money and Banks” project involved more than 38,000 students, who came into contact with representatives of NBR branches and agencies countrywide.

The activities were carried out on the premises of the NBR or of educational establishments and consisted of making presentations and video projections related to the activity, functions and history of the central bank, the history of money and of the national currency, explaining basic economic and financial concepts such as credit, deposit, inflation, as well as watching educational videos, with a focus on notes and coins in circulation and their security features. Furthermore, participants visited the NBR Museum, the Museum of NBR Treasure in Tismana Monastery, the State Mint, the Processing Centre of the Bucharest Regional Branch, as well as the territorial offices of the NBR.

Some of these events were organised and unfolded under the aegis of the projects “Școala altfel” and Global Money Week. In the “Școala altfel” project alone, which was organised at central and regional level in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education, approximately 1,240 pupils participated.

On 16 March 2018, the conference entitled “Financial Inclusion – Putting Thoughts into Action” was organised under the aegis of Global Money Week and in partnership with Child and Youth Finance International. During the Global Money Week, NBR branches and agencies organised educational activities for high school and secondary school students. More than 8,700 students from 136 schools across the country were in direct dialogue with NBR representatives.

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In 2017, the NBR continued the activities supportive of financial education for high school and secondary school students based on the Cooperation Protocol signed with the Ministry of National Education.

A particularity of this project is the effort to interact directly with the youth and children in the farthest and least accessible rural areas.

The specific activities of this project (presentations and video projections) unfolded in the NBR’s branches and agencies or in educational establishments. The topics addressed the activity, functions and history of the central bank, the history of money and of the national currency, basic economic and financial concepts (such as credit, deposit, inflation), notes and coins in circulation and their security features. Furthermore, participants also visited the NBR Museum, the Museum of NBR Treasure in Tismana Monastery, the State Mint, and the Processing Centre of the Bucharest Regional Branch.

The programmes “Școala altfel: Să știi mai multe, să fii mai bun” (A Different Type of Learning: Learn More, Improve Yourself) and Global Money Week were opportunities for enhancing the scale of activities carried out at central and regional level, in cooperation with the Ministry of National Education and Child and Youth Finance International

. In the course of 2017, more than36,700 students participated in activities under the “Let’s Talk about Money and Banks” project.

As a token of international recognition for the quality of the financial education activities carried out throughout 2016, Romania – represented by the National Bank of Romania, the Ministry of National Education and the Financial Supervisory Authority – was awarded the “Global Inclusion Award 2017” at an event hosted in Berlin by Child and Youth Finance International and Germany’s G20 Presidency in May 2017.

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The NBR continued to support financial education in 2016 as well, under the Cooperation Protocol with the Ministry of National Education.

The activities of the “Let’s Talk About Money and Banks” project were aimed at over 37,000 pupils and teachers from educational establishments across the country. Similar to previous years, the participants received educational and information materials on central bank-specific activities, as well as on essential economic and financial notions.

The activities were hosted by the NBR units or by educational establishments and consisted of lectures and video projections about the activity, functions and history of the central bank, the history of money and the national currency, explaining basic economic and financial notions (credit, deposit, inflation), as well as watching educational videos, focused on coins and banknotes in circulation and their security features.

The educational activities were carried out throughout the year, and stepped up during Global Money Week (in partnership with Child and Youth Finance International) and “A Different Type of Learning – Learn More, Improve Yourself ”. The two projects involved over 20,500 participants from primary and secondary schools, double the previous year’s figure, many of whom were from rural areas. The activities, mainly organised by the NBR branches and agencies, were conducted throughout the country and consisted of lectures and video projections about the activity, functions and history of the central bank, the history of money and the national currency, explaining basic economic and financial notions (credit, deposit, inflation), as well as watching educational videos, focused on coins and banknotes in circulation and their security features.

For the first time, mixed teams made up of representatives from the CFA Society Romania and the NBR delivered presentations about current financial and banking subjects, at educational establishments around Bucharest. At the same time, visits to the NBR’s head office, branches and agencies, including to cash processing centres and the NBR Museum permanent exhibitions, continued to be organised. All the participants expressed an interest in furthering these initiatives.

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As part of the external communication activity dedicated to financial education, under the “Let’s Talk About Money and Banks” project, the period from March to December 2015 saw a series of educational activities aimed at primary and secondary school pupils, involving approximately 22,000 pupils from about 450 educational establishments across the country, including from rural areas. The events took place in virtue of the Protocol signed with the Ministry of National Education, with the support of county school districts and the Bucharest School District.

The educational activities were carried out in two stages: the first stage between March and April 2015 (9-17 March 2015 as part of the “Global Money Week” international project and 6-10 April 2015, under the “A Different Type of Learning – Learn More, Improve Yourself” programme), which was attended by over 10,500 pupils from around 270 educational establishments, and the second stage between November and December 2015, in which 11,374 pupils from approximately180 educational establishments took part.

The activities were hosted by the NBR units or by educational establishments and consisted of lectures and video projections about the activity, functions and history of the central bank, the history of money and the national currency, explaining basic economic and financial notions (credit, deposit, inflation), as well as watching educational videos, focused on coins and banknotes in circulation and their security features.

Both at the central and territorial level, groups of primary and secondary school pupils and their teachers visited the NBR’s head office and NBR branches and agencies. On this occasion, the participants received specialist books, brochures and leaflets, as well as other information materials about the institution’s history and activity, and materials from the European Commission about euro banknotes’ security features and other brochures.

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2014 activies will be conducted in partnership with the Ministry of National Education and with school inspectorates from the country.

• 10-17 March: Global Money Week
  • Students and teachers from Bucharest visited the NBR's headquarters, the NBR Museum and the State Mint
    • 13 March - "Financial Education: Investing in the Future of Society!" international conference
    • 13 March - "The Piggy Bank" by Eugène Labiche, performed by the Viennese Children's Theatre - a NBR Cultural Days event
  • At national level:
    • Guided tour of the NBR's agencies (branches Money Processing Centres)
    • Presentations regarding the history of the leu/ the history of money/ the history of the NBR, focusing on local aspects and the security features of banknotes
    • NBR's short feature documentaries: „The History of Currency”, „Security Features of Banknotes”, „The Life Cycle of Banknotes” și „Virtual Tour of the National Bank of Romania's Old Palace”
• 26 March - 11 April: "To Know More, to Be Better" Project
  • Guided tours of the NBR headquarters, the Processing Centre, the Governors' Gallery, the NBR Muzeum and the NBR Library: Lauder Reut high-school, Gheorghe Lazăr high-school, Sfântul Sava National College, Titu Maiorescu secondary-school, Pia Brătianu school
  • Guided tour of the State Mint: 81 secondary-school, Lauder Reut high-school
  • Guided tour of NBR's regional branches and agencies
• 14 May, Sibiu: Ioan Lupaş Sălişte technical high-school
• 2 iunie, Galați: Vasile Alecsandri National College
• 6 iunie, Constanța: Mircea cel Bătrân National College

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The activities scheduled for 2013 will be conducted in partnership with the Ministry of National Education and with school inspectorates from Bucharest and the counties of Alba, Arad, Brăila, Braşov, Dolj, Gorj, Iaşi, Mehedinţi, Mureş, Prahova and Timiş.

• 15 April 2013, Alba Iulia: Horea, Cloşca şi Crişan National College and Alba county School Inspectorate
• 21-23 April 2013, Iaşi: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University and Iaşi county School Inspectorate
• 21-24 May 2013, Braşov: Andrei Bârseanu National Economic College and Braşov county School Inspectorate
• 28-29 May 2013, Târgu Mureş: Papiu Ilarian National College and Mureş county School Inspectorate
• 8 October 2013, Suceava: Petru Muşat Technical College, Technical College of Food Industry, Dimitrie Cantemir Economical College and Suceava county School Inspectorate
• 29 October 2013, Piteşti: Ion Pillat School, Constantin Brâncoveanu University and Argeş county School Inspectorate
• 5 November 2013, Drobeta Turnu Severin: Faculty of Economics and Business Administration - University of Craiova, University Centre of Drobeta Turnu Severin and Mehedinţi county School Inspectorate
• 6 November 2013, Craiova: Fraţii Buzeşti National College and Dolj county School Inspectorate
• 26 November 2013, Bucharest: Cooperation Protocol between the National Bank of Romania and the Ministry of National Education; "Let's Talk About Money and Banks" Educational DVD Launch Event
  

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Activities scheduled in 2012 will be conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports and with school inspectorates from Bucharest, Brăila, Braşov, Bacău, Buzău, Bistriţa-Năsăud, Bihor, Gorj, Mureş, Maramureş and Prahova.

• 26 April 2012, Ploieşti: Economical College and Prahova county School Inspectorate
• 4 May 2012, Buzău: B.P. Haşdeu National College and Buzău county School Inspectorate
• 18 May 2012, Târgu Jiu: Virgil Madgearu Commercial College
• 7 June 2012, Braşov: Andrei Bârseanu National Economical College
• 4 October 2012, Vaslui: Anghel Ruginǎ Economical College
• 5 October 2012, Bacău: Ioan Ghica Economical College
• 22 October 2012, Târgu Mureş: Transilvania Economical College
• 23 October 2012, Sfântu Gheorghe: Sfântu Gheorghe extension of Babeş-Bolyai University
• 30 October 2012, Bistriţa: Andrei Mureșanu National College
• 31 October 2012, Baia-Mare: Nicolae Titulescu Economical College
• 1 November 2012, Sighetu Marmaţiei: Dragoş Vodă National College
• 12 November 2012, Oradea: Mihai Eminescu Economical College
• 13 November 2012, Arad: Arad Economical College

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At the debut of the project in 2011, students and teachers participated in panel discussions and in conferences held by NBR lecturers at the following institutions:

• 18 May 2011, Târgu Mureş: Transilvania Economical College and Papiu Ilarian National College - Agnes Nagy, member of the NBR Board of Directors
• 31 May 2011, Bucharest: N. Kretzulescu Commercial College - Eugen Ovidiu Chirovici, NBR counselor
• 11 November 2011, Brăila: Ion Ghica Economical College - Valentin Lazea, chief-economist-of the NBR
• 09 December 2011, Bacău: Economical College - Agnes Nagy, member of the NBR Board of Directors

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