The platform is open to all aspiring jewellery design students across Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, with finalists receiving valuable business development skills in the areas of jewellery design, manufacturing, sales and marketing.
Paul Rowley, Executive Vice President, De Beers Global Sightholder Sales, said: “We are privileged to play an important part in turning the dreams of students from our producer countries into a lasting reality, especially in this instance where we are empowering them to add value to a natural resource.”
Brent Eiseb, Senior Manager, Sales and Marketing, Namibia Diamond Trading Company, said, “The awards are also perfectly positioned to support the Prosperity Plan’s pillars on improving vocational training, as well as youth development and skills development, as recently announced by the Namibian Government.”
Pat Dambe, Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Government Relations, De Beers Global Sightholder Sales, noted the success of the Awards over the years has seen “previous winners having had the opportunity to spend time in Milan at one of De Beers’ design centres and work with the finest trade artisans in the world.”
In past years, the competition has been widely regarded as a gateway for young designers to gain access to the global diamond jewellery market. The Shining Light Awards require students to create a jewellery collection, with a Forevermark diamond at its heart. Stephen Lussier, Executive Vice President, Marketing, De Beers Group; and CEO, Forevermark, said: “Forevermark is proud to support the Shining Light Awards, nurturing talent and developing the creativity of the new generation growing up in the countries from where our most beautiful diamonds come from.”
Follow DiamondWorld on Instagram: @diamondworldnet
Follow DiamondWorld on Twitter: @diamondworldnet
Follow DiamondWorld on Facebook: @diamondworldnet
