Here’s What IAC Has on Tap for Next Week’s NYC Gold and Diamond Conference
Sessions will focus on the balance between the romance of gems and jewelry and the importance of responsible sourcing.
Initiatives in Art and Culture will hold its 12th annual international conference covering topics around gold, diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry next week.
New York—This year, the gold and diamond conference from Initiatives in Art and Culture will focus on the balance between the romance of gems and jewelry and the imperatives of responsible sourcing.
“Gold, Diamonds, and Jewelry in a Transformational Age” will be held in person from Tuesday, July 19 to Wednesday, July 20 at Bohemian National Hall in New York City, preceded by an opening night event on Monday evening.
It is the organization’s 12th annual international conference covering topics around gold, diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry.
This year’s event brings together experts and industry leaders to talk about the challenges the industry faces and dive into new technologies, comparative approaches to mining, corporate succession planning, and cultural transmission.
Tuesday’s sessions include talks like “Climate Change and Planning for the Future,” and “Origin—Definition, Determination, and Documentation.” Other sessions will cover topics like succession planning, mercury elimination in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), and comparative approaches to mining in the ASM sector.
The day also will include a keynote from World Diamond Council President Edward Asscher about the WDC and the Kimberley Process, and end with a brief session about Swiss Better Gold.
Tuesday evening will include a reception during which time organizers will give two awards for thought leadership and changemaking in the industry.
Initiatives in Art and Culture will honor JCK’s Rob Bates, left, and Richline’s Mark Hanna, right, with awards at its upcoming jewelry conference.
Mark Hanna, chief marketing officer at Richline, will be honored with the fifth Award for Leadership in Responsible Practice, and Rob Bates, news director at JCK, will be honored with the second Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Diamond and Jewelry Industries.
Wednesday follows with even more sessions, kicking off with a brief talk from the World Gold Council about ASM gold mining, followed by “Global Expectations: Language, Legislation, Regulation, and Transformation.”
Other topics planned for the day include a session on responsible sourcing and best practices for mining at the intersection of ASM and large-scale mining, an industry roadmap to sustainability, and training goldsmiths for the future.
Wednesday will finish with the Scottish Goldsmiths Trust diving into its Ethical Making Pledge, a session from a designer about drawing on heritage and artistry to create today’s jewelry, and “Determining the Belperron of the future: who, how, and why?”
For a full list of speakers or to view the full agenda, visit ArtInitiatives.com.
To buy tickets for “Boldly Building the Future: Gold, Diamonds, and Jewelry in a Transformational Age,” visit Eventbrite.com.
