World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) President Ernie Blom says the gathering of the presidents of the organization's 30 bourses at the 38th World Diamond Congress in Mumbai, which kicks off in two weeks time, will be one of the most important ever held. "We have definitely seen many developments this year, and in light of the issues facing the global diamond trade we will be discussing a wide range of important issues," Blom commented.
"Rarely have we had to deal with so many challenges and so it is critical that all the bourse presidents attend to present their particular perspective and to hear input from their colleagues across the globe," Blom said.
World Diamond Congresses serve as the biennial meeting of the WFDB and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA).
"At the WFDB, we are totally focused on the problems that our members are facing, and gatherings such as this present us with an ideal opportunity to discuss what moves we can take to try to resolve them satisfactorily.
"I am delighted that the Bharat Diamond Bourse, which is hosting the Congress, will also provide the setting for a meeting of the World Diamond Council on October 22 when we will be providing input at the proceedings of this very important body. Meanwhile, the Congress will provide a forum for discussion of the major issues affecting the global diamond trade, and we will also be holding talks within the WFDB on issues specific to the organisation. In particular, we want to see how we can expand the role of the WFDB which is the diamond trade's leading representative body."
Blom added that in addition to bourse delegations, the October 23-25 World Diamond Congress will also welcome representatives from a range of industry bodies.