CBK opens the activities of Global Money Week 2026, awards competition prizes and announces the “Young Economists Award”

The Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo (CBK) today launched the activities of Global Money Week 2026, a global initiative aimed at promoting financial education and strengthening financial skills among young people. As part of the opening ceremony, awards were also presented for the educational competition “Stock Market Learning Competition.” The event was attended by the Managing Director of Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation Mr. Niclaus Bergmann, the Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kosovo Mr. Christian Böttcher, as well as students, university representatives, and institutional partners.

Global Money Week is an international campaign coordinated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), bringing together central banks, financial institutions, and educational institutions to raise awareness among young people about the importance of financial education and responsible financial decision-making. The Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo has been participating in this initiative for the 13th consecutive year.

In his opening remarks, CBK Governor Mr. Ahmet Ismaili emphasized the importance of financial education in empowering citizens and supporting the development of a sustainable and inclusive financial system. He highlighted that the CBK remains committed to promoting financial education, strengthening consumer protection, and increasing financial inclusion in the country.

Governor Ismaili noted that over the years the CBK has undertaken a number of initiatives aimed at increasing financial awareness among citizens. These include the Platform for Comparison of Financial Products and Services, which provides transparency regarding tariffs and conditions offered by financial institutions, as well as a range of educational activities with pupils and students from educational institutions across the country. The CBK has also developed initiatives aimed at promoting financial inclusion, including activities designed to improve access to financial services for people with disabilities, as well as cooperation programs with universities and educational institutions to encourage young people’s interest in economics and finance.

As part of today’s ceremony, the winners of the Stock Market Learning Competition were awarded. This educational competition, organized in cooperation with the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation, enabled students from economic faculties in Kosovo to gain practical experience in financial markets through the simulation of trading on the Stuttgart virtual stock exchange. A total of 42 students from eight faculties of economics and business participated in the competition, gaining practical knowledge and skills related to investment decision-making and financial market dynamics.

Additionally, awards were presented to the winners of the financial quiz for high school students, where 6 students from different schools across Kosovo were rewarded.

Within the framework of Global Money Week 2026, the CBK also announced the opening of the call for applications for the “Young Economist Award,” which aims to encourage students and young researchers to contribute innovative research in the fields of economics and finance.

Prior to this event, the Governor of the CBK also held a meeting with the Managing Director of the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation Mr. Niclaus Bergmann, during which they discussed developments in Kosovo’s financial sector and the ongoing cooperation between the CBK and Sparkassenstiftung in the areas of financial education and institutional capacity building. Governor Ismaili expressed his appreciation for the continued support and partnership of the Sparkassenstiftung, including cooperation in organizing the Stock Market Learning Competition and other initiatives that contribute to advancing financial education in Kosovo.

Throughout this week, the CBK will organize a series of educational activities in cooperation with educational institutions and partners from the financial sector, including competitions and awareness-raising activities for pupils and students across the country.