Press Release: In an effort to further the gem and jewelry industry’s beneficiation initiatives, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) debuted its rough diamond evaluation course in French in Côte d'Ivoire. The class, which was held in Abidjan from September 15 to 19, consisted of six government officials from the Ministry of Mines, Customs and the Ivorian mining development organization SODEMI, as well as two representatives of artisanal mining cooperatives and one field staffer from the Property Rights and Artisanal Diamond Development (PRADD) II project of the U.S. Agency for International Development. The five-day course was taught by Ric Taylor, GIA’s manager of global instruction.
“The rough diamond course brings practical and relevant education to this gem producing region. By working with Ivorian officials and others in the industry, we can directly support artisanal miners and the development of the diamond sector as a whole. This is an essential step for a country that is now working hard to re-establish and grow the industry following its recent integration into the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme,” said Brad Brooks-Rubin, GIA’s global director of development and beneficiation.
Several notable governmental and diplomatic representatives, including Jean Claude Brou, the Minister of Mines and Industry, and Terence P. McCulley, the U.S. Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, attended the rough diamond evaluation graduation on September 19.
The Institute also hosted the first-ever GIA Junior Gemologist Program™ workshop in a Francophone African country on September 18 in conjunction with the U.S. Embassy in Abidjan. Eighteen students from the Lycee Blaise Pascal school ranging in age from 14 to 18 discovered the world of gemology through hands-on, practical training. The program was introduced in sub-Saharan Africa in 2012 and has taken place in Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
Since 2008, GIA has expanded its activities and presence in sub-Saharan Africa, opening two full-time laboratories and offering classes in Gaborone, Botswana and Johannesburg, South Africa; establishing partnerships with government agencies and universities throughout the continent; and maintaining a network of active alumni. Today, there are more than 900 alumni and in Africa and GIA Alumni Chapters in South Africa and Botswana.
About GIA
An independent nonprofit organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America), established in 1931, is recognized as the world’s foremost authority in gemology. GIA invented the famous 4Cs of color, cut, clarity and carat weight in the early 1950s and in 1953, created the International Diamond Grading System™ which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweler in the world.
Through research, education, gemological laboratory services, and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewelry by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism. Visit www.gia.edu.
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