The Central Bank of Luxembourg reported on the first edition of “Forum Alternance”, a new bilingual and cross-border educational initiative developed with the Deutsche Bundesbank to improve economic literacy among young people and explain central bank functions. Around 70 students aged 15 to 16 from Germany and Luxembourg took part in two immersive days focused on central banking in the Eurosystem. The programme brought together two classes from the Franco-German High School in Saarbrücken and the Athénée de Luxembourg. Day one took place on 8 May 2025 at the Deutsche Bundesbank in Saarbrücken and covered the Bundesbank’s history and core tasks, including the basics of monetary policy, gold reserves, banking supervision, and counterfeiting, supported by mixed German-Luxembourg group workshops. Day two was hosted by the Central Bank of Luxembourg on 13 May 2025 and focused on how monetary policy is implemented in the Eurosystem, alongside discussions on digital payments and a potential digital euro, a visit to the Central Bank of Luxembourg’s numismatic space, and a question-and-answer session with Central Bank of Luxembourg Governor Gaston Reinesch. The Central Bank of Luxembourg indicated that, following positive feedback from students and teachers, the Forum Alternance is intended to become an annual event in the educational calendars of both central banks.
Central Bank of Luxembourg 2025-06-10
Central Bank of Luxembourg and Deutsche Bundesbank launch first Forum Alternance cross-border youth central banking programme
The Central Bank of Luxembourg and Deutsche Bundesbank launched "Forum Alternance," a bilingual educational initiative to enhance economic literacy among youth, focusing on central banking in the Eurosystem. The inaugural event involved 70 students from Germany and Luxembourg in immersive sessions on monetary policy, digital payments, and central bank functions. Following positive feedback, the program is set to become an annual event.