With emotion, applause, and a great deal of inspiration, the national initiative “Let’s Spin the Money Carousel – Together!” came to a close, bringing together students, teachers, and communities from across the country. At an official ceremony held on April 24 at the Slavyanska Beseda Theatre, awards were presented to the distinguished participants.

The ceremony gathered partners and participants from all over the country and served as a natural culmination of a shared effort. Although specific schools and organizations were recognized, the message was clear – everyone is a winner. With energy, imagination, and dedication, participants turned the “Money Carousel” into a celebration for their communities.

As part of the initiative, nearly 2,500 children took part in over 115 performances, reaching an audience of 9,200 people nationwide. These are not just numbers, but proof of the power of a different approach – through art and experience, children took their first confident steps into the world of finance.

The ceremony opened with a performance of “Money Carousel” by students from 108 Secondary School “Nikola Belovezhdov” in Sofia, whose energy and stage presence gave an emotional start to the event.

“For us, the most genuine evaluation comes from the children and teachers – from the way they embraced the initiative and made it their own. This success is a clear sign that there is a real need for the ‘Money Carousel’ and that this energy must be preserved and further developed. We will continue to build on the initiative so that financial literacy reaches children not just within a single week, but as a lasting life skill,” said Rositza Wartonick from the Financial Literacy Initiative Foundation.

“The success of the ‘Money Carousel’ shows that when education is presented in an accessible and engaging way, it truly reaches children,” commented Dr. Magdanelа Delinesheva from Education 5.0 Foundation.

This very energy and commitment were recognized through the awards presented during the ceremony.

The jury awards for overall performance, community engagement, and strong impact were given to the Regional Library “Nikolay Vranchev” – Smolyan, Primary School “Petko Rachov Slaveykov” – Roman, and Primary School “Kiril and Methodius” – village of Zamfir. The awards were presented by Nadya Kolchakova (Bulgarian Stock Exchange – Sofia), Nikolay Mehandzhiyski and Kremena Yochkolovska (Concord Asset Management), and Irina Kazandzhieva (Association of Banks in Bulgaria).

The audience awards, determined through online voting, recognized participants from three schools in Plovdiv that generated the strongest public response – Primary School “Elin Pelin,” Secondary School “St. Paisii Hilendarski,” and Secondary School “Chernorizets Hrabar.” Their awards were presented by Rositsa Vartonik from the Financial Literacy Initiative Foundation.

Five participants were selected through a raffle as a token of recognition for their active involvement and contribution to promoting the initiative in their local communities: Primary School “Mati Bulgaria” – Kazanlak, Secondary School “St. Kliment Ohridski” – Zverino, Kindergarten “Valentina Tereshkova” – Batanovtsi, Fourth Primary School “Ivan Vazov” – Targovishte, and Secondary School “Panayot Volov” – Shumen. The awards were presented by Nina Kolchakova from the Association of Bulgarian Insurers.

In the “Outstanding Achievement Awards” category, four participants were recognized. For their long-standing contribution to applying innovative educational methods for developing financial literacy, awards were given to 108 Secondary School “Nikola Belovezhdov” – Sofia and Secondary School “Kozma Trichkov” – Vratsa.

In the same category, two more schools were recognized for innovative approaches and inspiring solutions in their work with children. The award for Primary School “Yuri Gagarin” – Sliven was presented by Kaloyan Simeonov from the Ministry of Finance. Representatives of the Special School for Students with Visual Impairments “Prof. Dr. Ivan Shishmanov” – Varna received their award from Dimana Rankova (Pension Insurance Company “Doverie”).

Thus, the “Money Carousel” has become more than just an initiative – it is now a community and a direction, guiding young people toward greater confidence, awareness, and preparedness for life.

The national initiative “Let’s Spin the Money Carousel – Together!” is organized by the Financial Literacy Initiative Foundation and Education 5.0 Foundation on the occasion of Global Money Week (16–22 March 2026). Its aim is, through the lesson-performance “Money Carousel” – an innovative format combining education and dramatization – to turn financial literacy into living, accessible, and lasting knowledge for children. It is held with the official support of the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Finance.

Partners of the initiative include the Financial Supervision Commission, the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, the Association of Banks in Bulgaria, the Association of Bulgarian Insurers, the Bulgarian Association of Supplementary Pension Security Companies, Concord Asset Management (a member of BAAMC), and Pension Company Doverie (a member of BADDPO). Additional support was provided by the Bulgarian Association of Asset Management Companies, the Bulgarian Association of Licensed Investment Intermediaries, the Bulgarian Fintech Association, and the Global Libraries Foundation.