The speech as given takes precedence over the written version.
Dear debaters, respected teachers and friends from Slovenia and abroad. Today I welcome you to the grand finals of the Masters of the Digital Future Debate Project.
It is my distinct pleasure to extend a particularly warm welcome to the honorary guest of today’s event and the project’s patron, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Nataša Pirc Musar, whose strong support for Banka Slovenije’s efforts to educate the young generation we greatly appreciate.
Banka Slovenije has been organizing Masters of the Digital Future for the third consecutive year by bringing together students, teachers and wider public to discuss key challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in the financial environment. The project focuses on topics such as digital finance, innovation and the impact of emerging technologies on society and the economy while aiming to foster informed dialogue and critical thinking about the future of the digital world.
This year, we are particularly proud that the project extends beyond national borders bringing together seven countries, each contributing in a meaningful and constructive way and let me also offer my sincere welcome to our esteemed colleagues from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Montenegro and Slovakia, whose support and cooperation within our financial literacy initiative has been of vital importance in making today’s event possible under such inspiring circumstances.
The project is thus evolving into a cross-European initiative, which has demonstrated that the key questions related to the digital future can be addressed more effectively if shared across borders through cooperation and dialogue.
At Banka Slovenije, we view financial literacy not merely as understanding the complexities of ever-evolving financial systems, but as recognising how these developments shape our everyday lives and maybe even more importantly how they will shape our lives in the future. Accordingly, this year’s focus is on one of the most significant advancements in this area: the digital euro.
The digital euro represents more than just a new form of money as it brings up important questions about trust, privacy, accessibility, and the future role of central banks in a digital society. By engaging with these topics, one can dive into the future of payments and financial systems, while also examining the potential impacts, whether positive or not, on people’s everyday lives.
Therefore, it is my great satisfaction that we have been able to connect difficult financial topics with debate as a life skill, where knowledge alone does not suffice. In debate one is challenged to articulate ideas effectively from different points of view and even though debaters' language and knowledge may meet all the standards of proficiency, producing clear and convincing arguments remains a demanding task.
And this is precisely why I would now like to address all the debaters who have actively participated in the national and the international part of the project. Being part of such a project is anything but an ordinary undertaking and let me point out loud and clear that I admire your courage, thirst for knowledge and your commitment to personal growth. The fact that you are willing at such young age to step forward, stand up tall and say to yourselves and to everyone watching "Do not worry, I've got this!" is truly not a small feat and is certainly worth of everyone's admiration and especially your own.
And yet, you are not walking this path alone but in the company of some truly worthy people. Therefore, I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to your teachers and mentors whose dedication has been instrumental not only in sharing knowledge, but also in encouraging you to think critically and to speak with conviction.
Dear finalists! This is your moment. You have already demonstrated exceptional skill, resilience, and determination to reach this stage of competition. As you step into the debate today, I encourage you to embrace the challenge with confidence, respect and above all joy for the experience. Whether you win it or not, remember that success lies not in victory, but in the ability to engage, to accept and to grow.
I wish you all the very best of luck. May your arguments be sharp, your ideas inspiring, and your voices heard loud and clear.
Thank you for your attention.