100 Years of World Savings Day: Saving Through the Ages

What began in 1924 as an educational initiative is now a symbol of financial independence and responsibility across generations. World Savings Day was initiated by savings banks to promote economic education and today serves as a foundation for future provision.

World Savings Day as a "Societal Educational Initiative"

After World War I, Europe was in crisis, with money losing significant value due to hyperinflation. To portray saving in a positive light, 135 savings banks from 27 countries agreed at a congress in Milan to establish an annual day of saving: World Savings Day. With support from schools, media, and political actors, World Savings Day developed into a societal institution aimed at spreading financial education and empowering people to provide for the future. "World Savings Day was more than just a bank appointment from the beginning; it was a societal educational initiative," said Franz Portisch, Secretary General of the Austrian Savings Banks Association.

Generation Z Embraces New Ways of Saving

The traditional savings book is losing significance, but the idea of provision remains. 48% of Generation Z are already investing in securities, and 85% consider financial provision indispensable. The motivations have changed: the focus is on security, sustainability, and responsibility for future generations. "Provision is the new saving," says Stefanie Christina Huber, President of the Savings Banks Association. "The capital market opens new paths to wealth creation, but it requires more financial education. The savings banks make a decisive contribution with their initiatives."

World Savings Day 2025: New Topics in Focus

Even after a century, World Savings Day is a day of exchange: with customers, families, businesses, and educational institutions. Today, future topics are in focus, such as financial education, sustainable provision, and intergenerational responsibility. World Savings Day remains what it always was, and at the same time, more than ever: a symbol of self-responsibility, security, and confidence. A part of Austrian cultural history that paves the way to a financially self-determined future.

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