The National Bank of Georgia participated in Financial Education in Uncertain Times, the annual international meeting (mentioned bellow as the Meeting) on financial education. Co-organized by the National Bank of Croatia, the event was held for the fourth time this year in the framework of the 5-year technical assistance project of the Ministry of Finance of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the International Network on Financial Education of the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD/INFE). This technical assistance project unites 6 countries of South-Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, North Macedonia, Croatia) together with Georgia, and aims to help improve financial education in the region.

 

The participants of the Meeting discussed in detail the challenges and achievements in financial education in the Southeast European region and were eager to share their experiences and best practices with each other.

 

In addition to the representatives of the countries participating in the project, invited experts from the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Spain and other countries attended the Meeging to share their experience with their colleagues.

 

Participants discussed the level of financial education of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs in the region and reviewed financial education programs for target groups such as youth and elderly citizens. They further discussed the relationship between the cultures of the participating countries and the level of their financial education. Other topics discussed included the potential of promoting financial education digitally, the results achieved within the project and future plans.

 

The representatives of the National Bank of Georgia shared with the participants of the Meeting Georgia’s experience in the actions taken to improve the financial education of entrepreneurs and also in disseminating financial education remotely.

 

The Meeting was also attended by the representative of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, who spoke about introducing financial education in schools and accentuated the cooperation between the NBG and the Ministry in this area.

 

 

"While the countries participating in the conference may have different geopolitical and historical environments, the challenges and goals are nonetheless common. We all realize the importance of financial education of the citizens, both for each of them and for the country as a whole, and we express our readiness to share experience and strengthen each other on the way to our common goal.", - said Maia Markarashvili, head of the NBG’s Financial Education Division.