Solitaire International was awarded the Gold Award in the Business Magazines category at the 47th Annual Awards of the Association of Business Communicators of India. The award recognizes the excellence in content and presentation. This is the third time Solitaire has received this award.
Eddy Elzas with his Rainbow collection
Eddy Elzas, known as the ‘king of coloured diamonds’, brought his Rainbow Collection to the Dubai International Jewellery Week in December 2007. His interest in coloured diamonds began 40 years ago, at a time when they were considered worthless and powdered to be used in polishing. The 350-carat collection is today considered “priceless” and consists of 300 fancies in a wide spectrum of colours and sizes.
Visitors at the Dubai exhibition had an opportunity to win one of Elzas’ fancy diamonds at a daily lucky draw.
Elzas acknowledges a debt of gratitude to the late Mafatlal Mehta, a stalwart of the Indian diamond industry who encouraged him to pursue his colourful dreams many decades ago in Antwerp. “I would not have reached where I am today without his support and belief in what I was doing,” he says.
India Looks Forward To Advancing Kimberley Process
Om Prakash Arya, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, took charge as chairman of the Kimberley Process as of January 1 this year. With a wide range of experience from handling portfolios in land revenue, personnel and general administration, consumer affairs, industries, export promotion, energy and power, he brings an extremely broad perspective to the job.
In a letter to all Kimberley Process members on New Year’s Day, Arya expressed his determination to take forward the work of the KP through the collective efforts of the entire membership. While placing on record his appreciation of the work done by the 2007 chairman Karel Kovanda and the European Commission team that worked with him in making it an effective institution, Arya noted that the KP has evolved dynamically over the last five years and now counted 48 members. All that it had achieved, he noted, was due in large part to the wholehearted support of the governments of the member states, civil society and the diamond industry. This global coming together had effectively curbed the flow of conflict diamonds, he said.
He added that many important issues had been discussed at the plenary held in Brussels last November and several decisions taken regarding them. The road map for 2008, he said, should be to implement these decisions and take the whole process forward.
India looks forward, he said, to hosting the intersessional meetings of the various working groups and committees in June this year and the annual plenary in November. Arya promised to interact on all matters of importance and said he looked forward to receiving suggestions. He reiterated India’s hope of continued support from the entire membership. This support would enable the country discharge its responsibilities effectively and well.
