Business news

MINSK, 2 March (BelTA) – A Financial Literacy Week will take place in Belarus on 9-17 March, BelTA learned from Yulia Sakovich, Head of the Financial Literacy Sector of the Non-Banking Operations Regulation Office of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus.

Banks, financial market associations, other concerned organizations are busy preparing for the event. Various financial education projects for children and the youth have been planned.

The Financial Literacy Week will begin with the Belarusian Currency and Stock Exchange that will arrange a trade opening ceremony involving children on 9 March. The children will ring the Exchange’s bell to symbolically open the week. In 2014 such ceremonies took place in currency and stock exchanges in 23 countries across the globe, including the world’s top exchanges in New York, London, and Brussels.

The Belarusian Republican Youth Union is expected to take part in the Financial Literacy Week. The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus and the Youth Union will arrange an online discussion on 13 March to allow young Belarusians to talk about financial matters with young people from various countries. “It will allow us to draw attention of young people from various parts of the globe to financial matters. They will be able to share their experience of managing personal savings. In Belarus the event will be held at premises of educational institutions in Minsk,” noted Yulia Sakovich.

The National Bank intends to arrange a tournament for university students featuring economic games on 16 March, Child and Youth Finance Day.

A three-day financial literacy training session for Minsk school teachers will be arranged after the Financial Literacy Week is over. The pedagogues will be able to master the organization of and actual lessons for children and young people aged 6-18. They will be able to get the knowledge and skills for arranging optional financial literacy courses. The training session will take place in the National Bank on 1-3 April.

The international event Child and Youth Finance Day was first marked in 2012 upon the initiative of the non-commercial organization Child & Youth Finance International. Back then it was celebrated by 26 countries. In 2013 the number rose to 80. In 2014 the number exceeded 100. In March 2015 the number is expected to go even higher. This time Belarus will celebrate its third Child and Youth Finance Day and Financial Literacy Week. Every time financial education events for young Belarusians are arranged.