ICA adds extra day to gem congress
July 22, 2008
New York—The International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) is extending its 2009
ICA Congress one more day due to a full agenda, the organization announced recently.
The congress now will run from May 5-10, 2009, in Panyu, Guangzhou, China's largest jewelry manufacturing area.
The ICA's congresses traditionally have adhered to a five-day format, ever since the first congress held in Idar-Oberstein, Germany, in 1985. But the 2009 ICA Congress is expected to draw the largest number of attendees to date, prompting the ICA to add another day to accommodate registration, all the speakers, excursions, and golf and tennis tournaments.
"In setting the agenda for the ICA Congress in Panyu, we discovered that the number of speakers, discussion sessions and activities could not be scheduled in our usual five-day format," ICA President Andrew Cody said in a media release.
ICA Congress Chairman Edward Boehm said the congress committee and sponsors came to a unanimous decision to extend the congress to six days.
"Excitement is already building as we set the agenda for bringing the world of gemstones to China," he said.
Sponsors for the ICA Congress 2009 are the National Gemstone Testing Center in Beijing, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Panyu branch and Worldmart Jewelry and Gems Emporium (HK) Ltd.
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