It is our great honor and pleasure to inform you that in 2016 we mark 70 years of central banking activities in the Republic of Macedonia. In the past seven decades, our institution, in a various legal and formal framework and a range of processes of evolutionary institutional development, represented and still represents a substantially important pillar for the functioning of the Macedonian society and an anchor of the macroeconomic stability of the country.
It is our great honor and pleasure to inform you that in 2016 we mark 70 years of central banking activities in the Republic of Macedonia. In the past seven decades, our institution, in a various legal and formal framework and a range of processes of evolutionary institutional development, represented and still represents a substantially important pillar for the functioning of the Macedonian society and an anchor of the macroeconomic stability of the country.
This jubilee year, the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia marks 70 years of institutionalized central banking operating in the Republic of Macedonia and on this occasion it will organize various events and happenings. The celebration of the jubilee will take place throughout the year under the motto "Meet the central bank" and aims to bring the National Bank to the public and to promote awareness of citizens about the scope of activities of the institution, its role and the importance it has in the domestic economy. In this context, the events that are going to be organized throughout the year will include activities in the field of financial education, events to promote scientific research and sports activities and events.
Within the financial education activities, the National Bank is going to work on two short films, as follows: 1) short documentary which, through documented video material based on historical facts, will show the evolution of the central banking in the Republic of Macedonia for the past 70 years and 2) short educational film which will inform the public on the objectives, functions and the competencies of the central bank. Thus the central bank will leave two abiding documents from which the future generations will draw knowledge of central banking. Within the education of children and youth, one-day visits to the National Bank by pupils from primary schools throughout the Republic of Macedonia are envisaged. The organized tours will include a visit to the Museum of the National Bank and the mint house, and students will be introduced to the basic functions of the National Bank through an interactive presentation by employees of the National Bank. For the schools that will not be able to organize such a visit, the National Bank will organize financial education caravan, which will visit schools throughout Macedonia. The aim of this caravan is spreading financial education and bringing the National Bank closer also to pupils from remote and rural areas.
As one of the leading institutions in research, also during the jubilee year, the National Bank will continue to strongly support and promote scientific research. In this framework, the National Bank will prepare Bibliography of papers from the area of central banking published in the country for the last 70 years. This project will significantly help in the preservation of these studies, and will contribute to further development of the central banking and overall banking operations in the Republic of Macedonia in the future. In addition, a promotion of books and scientific papers published by the employees of the National Bank is also envisaged, which once again confirms the high research profile of the institution.
The seventieth anniversary will be marked by a series of sports activities, among which we would like to emphasize the mini marathon race on the bank of the Vardar River, as a modest contribution of the National Bank to the promotion of a healthier and more active life among the employees of the financial sector.
During the event "Open Days for Citizens", the National Bank, during one week, will open the doors to all citizens who wish to visit the National Bank and to learn about its history, the main features and functions of the institution. The organized visit will include a tour in the Museum of the National Bank and a short educational presentation by employees of the National Bank.
During 2016, all the conferences, forums, seminars, workshops and other projects that the National Bank has been organizing on a regular basis for years, will be organized and conducted in the spirit of this great jubilee. In this context, during 2016 the National Bank will organize the Fifth International Research Conference, which is usually organized on the occasion of the anniversary of the monetary independence of the Republic of Macedonia, the traditional Conference on Payment and Securities Settlement Systems, will be held for the ninth time with a significant international participation, and the International IT forum from the area of IT infrastructure and business continuity will be held for the second consecutive year. In cooperation with the Bank of England, during the year the National Bank will organize a seminar aimed for staff education in the field of central banking.
We believe that this program of events and activities will contribute to a dignified and successful celebration of this important jubilee and achieve the ultimate goal of raising the level of awareness of citizens about the importance and role of the National Bank in the society.
Happy anniversary 70 years of central banking in the Republic of Macedonia.