Bahrain Bourse (BHB), a licensed exchange by the Central Bank of Bahrain and an affiliate member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), has announced its participation in the seventh annual World Investor Week (WIW) from 2nd October to 8th October 2023.
Alongside the IOSCO WIW, Bahrain Bourse virtually joined 82 other global exchanges in the World Federation of Exchanges' annual 'Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy' event. This is the sixth consecutive year that Bahrain Bourse has participated in the event to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to enhancing market literacy and investor awareness in collaboration with local partners and international exchanges. As part of its participation in the week-long events, Bahrain Bourse hosted a 'Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy' campaign featuring key participants from various listed companies and stakeholders to highlight BHB's various financial literacy initiatives.
World Investor Week is a global campaign promoted by IOSCO to raise awareness on the importance of investor education and protection and highlight the various initiatives of securities regulators. This year, the key messages of the IOSCO WIW campaign is focused on three themes: 1) Investor Resilience 2) Crypto Assets, and 3) Sustainable Finance which have been identified as particularly relevant given current global market conditions. Other complementing themes cover Frauds and Scams Prevention, Basics of Investing, Technology, and Digital Finance.
Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, CEO of Bahrain Bourse, commented, "We are proud to participate in the prestigious IOSCO's World Investor Week 'Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy'. Bahrain Bourse's commitment to enhancing financial literacy and promoting investor awareness remains unwavering with our involvement in this global campaign. We look forward to working with local, regional, and international organizations to foster a culture of financial education, investor protection, and responsible investing."
In his comments, Mr. Jean-Paul Servais, Chair of the IOSCO Board and Chairman of Financial Services and Markets Authority, Belgium, commented stating "Investor protection is a key IOSCO objective. Securities regulators use different tools to promote and enhance investor protection, including policy, supervision, oversight, enforcement, and financial education. During the global pandemic, retail investors encountered new and bigger risks; some of these risks may continue into the future or evolve. In response, the IOSCO Work Program 2023-2024 will continue supporting investor education as a critical pillar of investor protection, together with other measures aimed at combating retail market misconduct and fraud, promoting investor confidence and financial inclusion, and protecting the investor interests."
Bahrain Bourse's dedication to spreading financial awareness is further exemplified through its various awareness programs, including TradeQuest Program for high school and university students, Smart Investor Program in collaboration with INJAZ Bahrain for elementary school students, and the Investment Academy in collaboration with the BIBF. Additionally, Bahrain Bourse has launched three editions of the Capital Markets Apprenticeship Program, an internship program which aims to equip interns with the key professional and soft skills and enrich their knowledge within the Capital Market industry.