In Kyrgyzstan OSCE promotes understanding of economic factors
CHOLPON-ATA, Kyrgyzstan, 7 October 2011- A two-day conference on economic education for stability and poverty reduction supported by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek started in Cholpon-Ata in northern Kyrgyzstan today.
The aim of the conference is to review existing programmes for economic education of the population and to discuss possibilities to promote economic literacy in Kyrgyzstan, in the OSCE region and beyond.
The conference brought together participants from the media and non-governmental organizations from Central Asia and the Caucasus countries, the Russian Federation, as well as experts from the USA, Nepal, the Czech Republic and France. The participants will exchange information about economic education in their countries and discuss and elaborate recommendations on how to raise levels of financial and economic literacy of the population, basing on best practices and with the support from government, civil society and the media.
Ambassador Andrew Tesoriere, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said: “Knowledge and access to reliable economic and financial information strengthens people’s awareness, potential contribution to society and their own choices and opportunities. This in turn strengthens national prosperity, stability and can reduce poverty. This international conference looks at ways to increase such public knowledge of economic and financial issues”.
Yuruslan Toichubekov, Chairperson of the Kyrgyz State Service of the Financial Market Regulation and Supervision said: “Increasing the level of financial and economic literacy of the population is an urgent task. People are getting increasingly aware of the linkages between economic and financial knowledge and economic and social stability of the country. The conference will enable exchange of experiences, which will help us develop a large-scale efficient programme to raise the level of financial literacy of population of Kyrgyzstan which would cover all groups and come to each and every family.”
The event is initiated by the Kyrgyz State Service of Financial Market Regulation and Supervision and several non-governmental organizations.