Malta was chosen as the venue for the 17th edition of the European Association for Banking History’s (EABH) annual conference. The conference, which was supported by the Central Bank of Malta and Bank of Valletta, was held on Friday and yesterday at the San Gorg Corinthia Hotel in St Julian’s. Over 100 foreign delegates participated in this annual event.

The theme chosen for the Malta conference is “Banking and Finance in the Mediterranean: A Historical Perspective”, explored the evolution of banking and finance in the Mediterranean area from the 19th century to the present time. A number of aspects were considered including the structural evolution of banking systems; the role of banking and financial networks in enhancing capital and trade flows among countries; monetary and currency developments; and the current state of banking and financial archives.

The European Association for Banking History was founded in November 1990 as a forum for research into banking history. Within a short time it had developed into an internationally recognised organisation, highly respected for its work in the field of banking history and archives. In recognition of its contribution to the promotion of banking history, the Association was awarded the European Culture Prize in 2001. In more recent times, the EABH has broadened its scope of activities in order to fully incorporate financial history.

Almost 80 banks from 25 European countries are members of the EABH and, in line with the Association's recent development, financial institutions are now a welcome addition to its membership.