Armenia’s President Officially Opens 2016 CIBJO Congress

(IDEX Online) – The President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, officially opened the CIBJO 2016 Congress in Yerevan, Armenia on Wednesday.

Sargsyan said he attached great importance to hosting the CIBJO Congress in Armenia, which has a long jewelry-making history. “Throughout the centuries, Armenian jewelers around the world have had a great input into the development of the global jewelry industry,” he stated.

It is the first time that a CIBJO Congress has taken place in a Central Asian country, and it is being hosted by the Armenian Jewellers Association (AJA).

Gagik Gevorkyan, President of the AJA also welcomed Congress participants in Armenia. “We are delighted to host this Congress for the first time. Armenia is an important diamond polishing and jewelry making center and we believe it is right that the CIBJO Congress is happening here,” he said.

CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri said the organization prides itself on forging new paths for the international jewelry and gemstone industries, looking over the horizon to areas that may not have previously been part of the public discussion.

“CIBJO is the only organization operating in the industry that considers its area of interest and responsibility to include the entire chain of distribution, from the mine to the consumer outlet, in every country and region where jewellery and gemstones are produced, manufactured and sold. There are no size restrictions in terms of the individuals or organizations we serve, meaning that our commitment to the wellbeing of the smaller player is as solid and absolute, as is our commitment to the larger players in the business,” he continued.

“Our job in CIBJO is to develop the standards, terminology, strategies and systems that will enable all individuals and companies to operate fairly and responsibly. These change over time, are influenced by economics and geopolitics, and particularly by technological developments. That is why the work of our sectors and commission is never done. Like all other representative organizations in our industry, CIBJO is dependent on the support and effort put in by its members. We appreciate that not all of them are able to contribute equally, and we are grateful that those who have more resources are often ready to take a greater share of the collective burden.

“But at the same time we are fiercely independent, and we will never allow financial expediency to prevent us from making what we believe is the correct and fair decision,” he commented.