Antwerp prepares for international diamond conference

Раздел: Новости на английском
01 октября 2007 г.

The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), previously known as the HRD, is putting the finishing touches on the Antwerp Diamond Conference, its first international diamond conference since 2004, which will be held Oct. 15-16.

The diamond center–which hopes to remain at the center of the global diamond industry–will welcome heads of state and other senior ministers from diamond-producing countries, heads of leading companies in the sector and a Nobel Prize winner. Discussion will focus on the changes in the diamond industry.

As part of the event, a gala dinner will be held on Oct. 15 with guests of honor H.R.H. Princess Mathilde of Belgium and Liberian President H.E. Ellen Sirleaf-Johnson, who was elected in 2005 and is Africa`s first elected female head of state.

The announcement follows the earlier one regarding guest speaker and former pop star Sir Bob Geldof. He follows in the footstep of major international figures who have participated at the gala dinner of the three previous Antwerp Diamond Conferences: former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and South African President Thabo Mbeki. In 2004, the latter used the conference as an opportunity to announce the imminent launch of his government`s beneficiation program.

This year`s event, "Producers in transition: the changing industry dynamic," will look at the shift of power in the diamond industry and the emerging strength of producer countries as they capture more of the diamond-supply value chain. With more diamonds being sorted and processed on the home soil of these countries, the conference will look at how these changes impact the global diamond trade.

Among the other major figures taking part in the conference are Deputy Prime Minister of Angola Aguinaldo Jaime, South African Minister of Minerals and Energy Buyelwa Sonjica, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz, Kimberley Process Chairman Karel Kovanda, Alrosa President Sergey Vybornov, De Beers Managing Director Gareth Penny and other leading figures.

For more information or to register, visit the Antwerp Diamond Conference Web site, Antwerpdiamondconference.be .

[ nationaljewelernetwork.com ]

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