The 2015 CIBJO annual congress started today in Salvador in the state of Bahia in Brazil. It is the first time that a CIBJO congress has been held in Latin America, and CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri began by paying special tribute to the representatives of Brazil’s federal government and Bahia’s state government, who were present at the gathering.
Dr. Cavalieri told the opening ceremony that although Brazil has always featured prominently as a source of raw materials, the congress would show its skills and ability as a design and production centre, and also as a market.
Paying tribute to the keynote speaker, Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, the High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations, and Mr. Alberto Padova, the Officer in Charge of the NGO Branch in Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Dr. Cavalieri said CIBJO formally became associated with the UN’s Economic and Social Council in 2006. It has since expanded its mission and that of the international jewellery sector in general, to include a commitment to develop sustainable economic, social and environmental opportunities for all of our industry’s stakeholders, and especially those in developing countries, where the added value we can provide is most critically required.
“Our guiding light over this period were the Millennium Development Goals, and in particular we focused upon the call by the UN, in its Millennium Declaration, to develop strong partnerships with the private sector and with civil society, in pursuit of development and the eradication of poverty,” Dr. Cavalieri said. “The jewellery industry, we felt, which is so invested in the developing world, has a special role to play. We may deal in a luxury, non-essential product, but in so many places our industry, and the revenue it generates is absolutely essential.”
The CIBJO President spoke of the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises, the reduced levels of financing available to the diamond industry, a cap on production by major mining companies. “There urgently needs to be a serious discussion, involving all sectors of the chain of distribution, about the distribution of debt and profit. The health of our industry depends upon it. CIBJO, where all stages of the chain of distribution are represented, would appear a natural forum for such a discussion.”
Hécliton Santini Henriques, President of the Brazilian jewellery industry trade group, IBGM, the organisation hosting the congress, said that bring the World Jewellery Confederation to Brazil provided a unique opportunity to show how important country is as a producer and consumer of precious stones and metals.
“Brazil is one of the most diversified exporters of a vast range of precious gemstones,” he stated. “We are the 11th largest producer of gold in the world, and the 16th biggest producer of gold jewelry. We are a diversified jewelry maker with innovative designs, and in 2014 we overtook South Korea as the second-biggest producer of gold-plated jewellery behind China.
Rui Costa, Governor of the State of Bahia, thanked CIBJO for choosing Salvador as the venue for its Congress. He also spoke about the importance of sustainable development. “We have a creative people and this can add value and bring jobs to Bahia. Minerals and jewellery can play a crucial role in the development of Bahia. Bahia is a land of opportunity.”
Delivering his keynote address, the UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, said his organisation’s mission is to support initiatives that allow people to prosper peacefully. It was established to develop concrete strategies for a better understanding between East and West.
“We know how wars have been fuelled by precious minerals in Africa. Diamonds instead of being a symbol of love can become a curse. But we also know how much diamonds can contribute to sustainable development,” he stated.
“The jewellery industry has a big role to play in UN goals by creating jobs and diminishing poverty and by cutting down illicit trafficking of stones. The work of CIBJO has been essential in promoting the goals of the United Nations with the Kimberley Process stemming the flow of illegally traded diamonds. You also promote ethical, environmental sustainable development issues.”
Carlos Nogueira Da Costa Jr., Secretary of Geology Mining and Mineral Production, who was standing in for Senator Eduardo Braga, Minister of Mines and Energy of the Republic of Brazil, explained that Brazil as an important player in the production of gems and also gold, which last year totalled $2.4 billion in exports. “We understand that hosting the CIBJO Congress will help us develop guidelines for the jewellery industry,” he said.
Alberto Padova, Officer in Charge, Department of Economic and Social Affairs at the UN, said although there has been great progress globally in reducing poverty and improving health care, there is enormous wealth and technical progress on the one hand and terror and poverty on the other. “There is a critical role for the private sector in promoting responsible business practices,” he stated. “Environmental concern is growing all the time. Consumers also want sustainable products. There is a growing number of civil society organisations promoting UN goals and holding governments to account. GIBJO’s Blue Books are great example of the role industry bodies can play in setting standards.”
Speaking in a video message Matteo Marzotto, the President of Fiera di Vicenza, told the Congress that it was significant that Brazil was first country in Latin America to host a CIBJO Congress.
Referring to Fiera di Vicenza’s agreement to work with CIBJO on its CSR educational programme, within the United Nations’ framework, he said: “We have been working in cooperation with CIBJO for many years. We strongly believe that it is crucial that the industry works according to well-defined standards. Jewellery must be beautiful not just in form but in spirit as well.”
The latter section of the Opening Session featured a set of presentations by Brazilian mining companies and interests.
Marcello Ribeiro presented the Belmont company and its responsible sourcing of emeralds. The mine in Minais Gerais state was discovered in 1978.
Ribeiro said that 12 tons of earth must be moved for the recovery of just three carats of emeralds. The business is highly capital and labour intensive and involves a high degree of risk, he said. He said that the Belmont mine had been the first coloured gemstone mine in the world to introduce optical sorting of stones.
Belmont’s environmental impact mitigation policy brings the firm in compliance with national regulations, he stated, which helps to improve the company image to stakeholders, motivates employees, improves community recognition, improves consumer confidence.
Ribeiro added that the firm invest in human resources and social responsibility in order to develop and motivate its workers by providing fair salaries, investing in education, providing growth opportunities, hiring according to national labour laws and ensuring that there is no child labour.
He said that the firm creates value by ensuring a steady supply to clients, certification of goods, fair trade practices, and conflict-free gems.
Francisco Silveira, ofthe Brazil Geological Service CPRM, Diamond Project, explained that although diamonds were discovered in Brazil in 1725, its current share of global production is just 0.04 percent. However, he suggested the figure was probably higher because a large proportion of mining in Brazil is informal.
Silveira added that investment in exploration in Brazil has remained very low and there is a huge gap between how much is invested in Brazil versus Canada and Africa.
Also addressing the session were Hari Alexandre Brust, President of the CBPM mineral research company, who spoke about mining opportunities in Bahia, and Fábio Borges and José Paulo Donatti of the Lipari mining company, which is set to become the first kimberlite mining operation in Brazil, and should greatly increase the volume of rough diamonds being produced in the country.