Milan: CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, will hold its 2020 annual congress in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from October 5 to October 7. Pre-congress meetings will take place October 3 and October 4.

The 2020 congress will be hosted by DMCC (Dubai Multi-Commodities Centre), one of the world’s leading free zones, which is tasked by the Government of Dubai Authority to drive commodities trade and enterprise. With more than 17,000 businesses registered, DMCC sits at the heart of the region’s growing jewellery trade, and is home to the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), the only World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) accredited bourse in the Arabian Gulf. The Dubai Gold & Commodities Exchange (DGCX), and Dubai Design Academy (DDA) are also based in DMCC.

is the second time that a CIBJO Congress will have taken place in Dubai, with the first being held there in 2008, when it also was hosted by DMCC. The official venue of the 2020 CIBJO Congress is the Almas Conference Centre, located in the DMCC’s iconic Almas Tower headquarters. CIBJO congresses serve as the official gathering place for the World Jewellery Confederation’s Assembly of Delegates.

They are also the venue for the annual meetings of CIBJO’s sectoral commissions, where amendments can be introduced to the organisation’s definitive directories of international industry standards for diamonds, coloured stones, pearls, gem labs, precious metals, coral and responsible sourcing, known as the Blue Books. The CIBJO Congress is also where the programme of World Jewellery Confederation Education Foundation (WJCEF), relating to responsible and sustainable activities in the industry and CIBJO’s ongoing cooperation with the United Nations and its development programme is reported upon. “We are delighted to be returning to Dubai,” said Gaetano Cavalieri, CIBJO President, “which over the past decade has established itself as one of the world’s most important jewelry and gemstone hubs and its third largest diamond trading centres. As a city that straddles both East and West, it is a most fitting venue for our global confederation’s annual congress. We thank the DMCC for its generous invitation.” “The prestigious CIBJO Congress is one of the most important moments in the international jewellery trade calendar. Selected to host the event for a second time underscores Dubai’s standing in the trade, and role in shaping its future. Hospitality is part of Dubai’s DNA, and DMCC looks forward to welcoming colleagues from across the globe, and joining the conversation at this crucial juncture for the industry,” added Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC. A dedicated CIBJO Congress 2020 website will be launched shortly.