Today, on 28 March 2017, at the official ceremony to mark the start of the Global Money Week, the National Bank of Ukraine presented an educational campaign entitled “The Hryvnia is Our Symbol!” and the “100 Years since the Ukrainian Revolution of 2017 – 1921” commemorative coin.
In opening the ceremony, NBU First Deputy Governor Mr Yakiv Smolii underlined that Ukraine has participated in an international educational initiative aimed at inspiring children and youth to learn about money and savings. “It has become a tradition for the NBU to join financial awareness events every year as financial literacy is a vital skill in today's world,” Mr Smolii said. “Financial literacy enhance confidence in the financial system and every central bank is tasked with taking advantage of the opportunities offered by financial education to educate financially literate consumers to build a successful country".
This year the NBU, with the support from The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID Ukraine) presented to the participants an educational campaign entitled “The Hryvnia is Our Symbol!” is designed to build an awareness of its historical significance and promote respect for the Ukrainian currency – the hryvnia.
“Over the past 25 years, USAID has provided assistance to Ukraine, while cooperation with the NBU is an integral part of our cooperation. We welcome the NBU’s ongoing initiatives to reform the financial system to promote the transparency, justice and integrity in financial markets,” said Mr Steven Rynecki, Deputy Director and Economic Growth Officer at USAID. “The building of trust in Ukraine’s financial markets is our common goal. Therefore, as part of the Financial Sector Transformation Project (FST), USAID supports the NBU’s initiative to host a series of activities to mark the Global Money Week. This one-week educational event aims to increase knowledge about personal finances to promote their better understanding by the public, especially the youth, and enhance their ability to manage their finances..
The Ukrainian Crisis Media Center, which has been involved in efforts to assist the Ukrainian public authorities in developing communications and improving the country's image on the international stage over the past three years, acted as a partner and co-organizer of this educational campaign.
“Respect for the independence of Ukraine is impossible without promoting awareness of its history, including economic history. We have learned from history about repression against the Ukrainian language, symbols, and culture but we are still unaware that the Ukrainian hryvnia has been banned by the occupants invading Ukraine. The Hryvnia was one of Ukraine’s first attributes, which was reborn every time when the Ukrainian statehood was restored. As part of the educational campaign carried out by the NBU to mark the Global Money Week, Ukrainian viewers will have an opportunity to trace the history of the hryvnia as an integral part of the history and culture of Ukraine, from the times when the currency came into existence and learn how it evolved, changing in its appearance. Thus, Ukrainian viewers will come to an understanding that the national currency is an integral symbol of the independence and statehood of Ukraine. The international audience will have an opportunity to trace the continuity of the Ukrainian history and learn more about the landmark events that have shaped the history through the dramatic codes of the hryvnia,” said co-founder of the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center Ms Natalia Popovych.
As part of the event, the NBU presented the “100 Years since the Ukrainian Revolution of 2017 – 1921” commemorative coin, which is dedicated to the Ukrainians who sought to assert their national rights a hundred years ago and embarked on the path toward the future that Ukraine is still following. The coin is designed in avant-garde style by Mr Volodymyr Taran, Mr Oleksandr Kharuk and Mr Serhii Kharuk.
For reference
GMW is an annual global celebration, initiated by Child & Youth Finance International (CYFI), with local and regional events and activities aimed at inspiring children and youth to learn about money, saving, creating livelihoods, gaining employment and becoming an entrepreneur.
The NBU participated in this large-scale educational initiative for five years.
Details of the events can be found here: http://globalmoneyweek.bank.gov.ua/
The USAID-funded project entitled Financial Sector Transformation Activity in Ukraine was launched last year to support reforms implemented in Ukraine. The Project will run through December 2020.
The NBU and USAID have cooperated in implementing the banking sector reforms for over 20 years.
Materials of the educational campaign entitled “The Hryvnia is Our Symbol!” have been created with the assistance from USAID.