PRESS RELEASE
The Museum of the Bank of Albania presents ''Interesting facts from the Treasury: Art in Albanian Banknotes'', on Museum Day

On 18 May 2017, on the occasion of the International Museum Day, the Museum of the Bank of Albania organized an activity to present: 'Interesting facts from the Treasury: Art in Albanian Banknotes". Every year, on and around this date, museums across the world celebrate a specific theme with the common goal of promoting the national history and culture. In 2017, the theme chosen from all the museums was: 'Museums and contested histories: Saying the unspeakable in museums.'

On this day, similar to thousands museums all over the world, the Museum of the Bank of Albania was open to all its interested visitors, concluding this celebration with activities organized especially in view of the chosen theme. Presentations referred to untold stories of the Albanian banknotes and coins.

Ms Natasha Ahmetaj, the Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Albania, welcomed the participants in her opening address, and stressed that banknotes depict a country's national identity. Museums and various activities organised in light of promoting national values and raising the public awareness help to better transmit the message embedded in banknotes, and educate the public through the art in banknotes, featuring elements of our national identity. 'For this particular reason, numismatists take delight in the subtleties of colours and images of the banknotes. In the apparently just pieces of paper, they are able to distinguish and recognise different ages, and the degree of social freedom.' - she concluded.

Address by Second Deputy Governor Ahmetaj

A special guest speaker of this activity was Mr Mark Bundy, banknote Technical Assurance Manager at De La Rue, the company that has realised the drawings for most of the Albanian banknotes. He shared with the participants his experience regarding the art of conception, drawing contemporary banknotes and the applied techniques, illustrated with photos and sketches. In his presentation Mr Bundy acknowledged that getting to know the Albanian historical figures and designing them on the Albanian banknotes has been a quite impressive experience for him. According to him, this indicates that the contribution of banknotes to the country's economic, social and political aspects will be remembered by the next generations.

Ms Shpresa Lubonja, Head of the Museum's Unit at the Bank of Albania delivered a presentation on: "Commemorative Coins: A way to Promote Historical and National Values", telling the history, interesting facts and untold stories hidden in these valuable banknotes and coins.

After presentations, guests were invited to a temporary exhibition displaying sketches, drawings and tools used for designing Albanian banknotes.

While many use the banknotes in their day to day life, only a few know the persons depicted in them or the history of their realization. The Museum of the Bank of Albania, inaugurated on 30 October 2015, is an added value in this context. Since then, over 4,000 visitors have learned about the historical and numismatic values of the Albanian coins and banknotes through the exposure of treasury items, coin and banknote collections, cheques, bonds, securities, treasury bills, medallions, and other items that have been circulating and used in our territories from antiquity to modern days.