Antwerp, February 17, 2011 – Registration is now taking place for the 2011 Presidents' Meeting of the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) in the Botswana capital of Gaborone from April 4 to 7. The meeting's hosts, the Botswana Diamond Manufacturers Association (BDMA), is planning a top-level event to highlight Botswana’s important role in the global diamond business.
Click here to enter the online registration area.
"This gathering of the international diamond manufacturing business community event will be a first for Botswana," said BDMA president Mervin Lipschitz, "It will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase not only our thriving industry to the diamond world, but also the warm and receptive country within which we operate.”
IDMA President Moti Ganz noted that it was important to hold IDMA meetings in diamond producing countries. "We're honored to be hosted by the Botswana government and BDMA. Botswana is a prime example of how the diamond mining industry has contributed positively to the development of the economy and social structure of a previously disadvantaged country," Ganz stated.
The core event of the meeting will be on April 4, with the Botswana hosts staging a diamond industry "Stakeholders Roundtable," and panel discussion, entitled "The Diamond Beneficiation Pitso." Pitso is the Botswana word for an informal village, or townhall, meeting.
The Diamond Beneficiation Pitso will take place at the Walmont hotel at The Grand Palm of Gaborone between 9:00 and 12:00. On April 5, a Gala Dinner will be held in Gaborone in the presence of the Guest of Honor, His Excellency President Ian Khama.
Participants in the 2011 IDMA Presidents' Meeting will also have the opportunity to visit the rough diamond sorting facilities and offices of the Diamond Trading Company of Botswana, as well as a tour of the famous Jwaneng mine, led by the mine's top managers and engineers.
Friday, Feb 22nd
Last update07:00:00 AM GMT
It's vacation time in the US and I am, once again, motorcycle riding for ten days with friends. Yes, you can laugh all you want about this gang of 50-plussers riding motor bikes, but we're out there having great fun riding some of the back country highways in this amazing country.
The United States industry vacation time has arrived! First and foremost, we at IDMA wish all our colleagues on vacation a wonderful time!
Safe travels! Europe and Israel, your vacations are next and around the corner!
I am off again, this time to Antwerp to attend the Kimberley Process Intersessional, a week-long event where the members of the KP, other stakeholders and observers gather to make up the balance of our industry's efforts to protect the diamond industry and trade from conflict diamonds and other unwanted influences.
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