The European Central Bank (ECB) has unveiled 'European culture' and 'rivers and birds' as potential themes for forthcoming euro banknotes, as stated in a press release by the institution on

Thursday.

A survey of 23,377 Europeans conducted by the ECB revealed that 'European culture' (21 percent), 'Rivers: the waters of life in Europe' (18 percent), and 'Birds: free, resilient, inspiring' (17 percent) were the most favored themes. Additionally, an online survey conducted in July and August 2023 garnered a record number of responses, exceeding 365,000 from European participants.

ECB President Christine Lagarde expressed satisfaction with the substantial engagement in the online survey, highlighting how both themes aim to establish connections between Europe and its people. This aligns with the ECB's objective of creating banknotes that resonate with individuals of various ages and backgrounds.

To further explore the chosen themes, the Governing Council has initiated an advisory group tasked with proposing motifs by the conclusion of 2024. Subsequently, a design competition will be organized to allow European citizens to voice their preferences regarding the design options for the new banknotes.

The ECB anticipates finalizing the designs in 2026, determining the production and issuance timeline for the new banknotes. However, the circulation of the first banknotes will take several years post the decision on their production. Photo by Ra'ike (Wikipedia), Wikimedia commons.