RAPAPORT...  As industry leaders and interested parties in the United States prepare for their departures for Amsterdam in the next few days, the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) reminds the trade that in addition to the presidents' meeting it plans to celebrate its 60th anniversary beginning June 24.

The events, which will be held at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel through June 26, are being billed “Celebrating the WFDB’s Diamond Anniversary; Building on a Tradition.” The meeting and celebration are being hosted by the Vereniging Beurs voorden Diamanthandel, the Amsterdam Diamond Exchange.  A special anniversary publication has been published to mark the event and will be distributed at the event. (Rapaport News will post meeting highlights and speechs on diamonds.net.) 

Presidents’ meetings are held in the intermittent years between congresses of the WFDB and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA) that take place biennially. During these two-day events, the presidents of the 26 diamond bourses affiliated with WFDB meet to discuss ongoing issues and to prepare the agenda for the congress in the following year. 

Speakers will include Job Cohen, the mayor of Amsterdam; Ed Blik, president of the Vereniging Beurs voor den Diamanthandel and meeting host; Varda Shine, managing director of the Diamond Trading Company; Ernest Blom, president of the WFDB; Jeffrey Fischer, president of IDMA;  Gaetano Cavalieri, president of CIBJO; and Loet Kniphorst, global head of International Diamond & Jewelry Group at ABN AMRO Bank.